68,375applications
Permanent identity card eligibility applications approved
Hong Kong Immigration DepartmentVEPIC
Verification of Eligibility for Permanent Identity Card (VEPIC)
VEPIC verifies whether a person is eligible to register for a Hong Kong permanent identity card. It is not an ordinary identity card replacement process.
info-permanent-identity-cardVEPIC verifies whether a person is eligible to register for a Hong Kong permanent identity card. It is not an ordinary identity card replacement process.
VEPIC
Permanent identity card eligibility verification
The applicant proves a claim to permanent resident status or right of abode. Approval means eligibility has been verified; a person aged 11 or above normally still registers in person for the card. Official approved-application statistics are neither card issuance figures nor the net increase in permanent residents.
What VEPIC verifies
- Evidence depends on the permanent resident category and may cover birth, descent, continuous ordinary residence or other relevant facts.
- A non-Chinese applicant relying on seven years of ordinary residence may also need to declare Hong Kong as their only place of permanent residence.
What follows approval
- After verification, any existing condition of stay is normally cancelled.
- A person aged 11 or above normally attends a Registration of Persons Office to apply for the permanent identity card; separate arrangements apply to children.
How to read the official data
- The dataset counts approved verification applications in the year, not all applications received and not an expressly unique-person measure.
- Without matching received or refused totals, no approval rate can be calculated, and the figures cannot estimate new permanent residents or passport eligibility.
Relationship with the HKSAR passport
- VEPIC approval alone does not establish eligibility for an HKSAR passport.
- A passport applicant must also be a Chinese citizen, a Hong Kong permanent resident and a holder of a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card.
Official resources
Important notice
This guide summarizes public Hong Kong Government information for general reference only. It is not legal or immigration advice and does not guarantee approval. Current eligibility, evidence, conditions of stay and final decisions remain subject to the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s assessment of each case.