Hong Kong streamlines application process for HK$5,000 e-voucher scheme following user complaints

The application process for the Hong Kong government’s HK$5,000 (US$644) consumption voucher scheme has been made easier amid surging interest in the programme, with more than 3.5 million residents having signed up as of 6pm on Tuesday.

Following the improvements, users now only need to complete two image authentication procedures instead of three, and the timeout period for registration has been extended to 45 minutes instead of 30 to take some pressure off of applicants.

The changes were in response to complaints from some frustrated users who said the authentication process was too complicated and the time limit was too short to complete the registration.

“Most people can complete the process within five minutes, but some users said they were not familiar with the electronic system and wondered if the time could be longer,” Jessie Wong Hok-ling, head of the budget and tax policy unit at the Financial Secretary’s Office, told a radio show on Tuesday. “The most important thing is not to stress residents out, as some have compared it to taking an exam.”

She added that extending the time limit to 45 minutes would not overload the system.

As for the image authentication elements, the government’s chief information officer, Victor Lam Wai-kiu, explained those steps were included to keep hackers out, and could not be simplified any further.