By The SUN
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| Immigration wants fewer FDH visa applicants visiting their offices |
The Immigration Department launched today, Mar 5, a new scheme of processing contact-less applications for foreign domestic helper visas.
The Smart Renewal service allows persons who apply online for a visa extension or renewal for an FDH, to skip going to an office of the Immigration Department to collect the visa and pay the fee, once their application is approved.
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This new service is available for FDHs who are (1) renewing their contracts with the same employer; (2) are to complete the remaining period of the current contract; or (3) applying for a deferral of home leave under the emergency guidelines during the pandemic.
To avail, applicants may log in to Immigration’s dedicated page, “Online Services for Foreign Domestic Helpers” (www.immd.gov.hk/fdh) to complete an online application form.
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Once the application is approved, a notification of approval will pop up, along with a general demand note (GDN) indicating the fee amount along with the payment details.
Payment of the indicated fee may be done through various means, such as the Faster Payment System (PPS), Internet banking, Payment by Phone Service (PPS) or automatic teller machines, or in person at a post office or convenience store.
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Once Immigration acknowledges receipt of the visa fee, the visa and/or extension of stay label will be mailed to the employer’s correspondence address. The label must then be affixed to the FDH’s passport as instructed.
In case no correspondence address has been provided, the visa labels will be sent to the address indicated in the employment contract.
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This means that throughout the application process for these types of services, the worker or the employer need not be physically present at an Immigration office to pay the fee or collect the visa label.
At present, those who submit FDH visa applications are required to, upon approval of their applications, pay the fee and collect the visa in person or through an authorised representative from an Immigration Department branch.
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| Sample of FDH visa indicating validity and other conditions |
However, the process will remain unchanged for applications made through other means - by post, drop-in box or in-person - and in special cases requiring in-person submission or interview.
In these cases, the applicant must go personally to an Immigration branch as before to attend an interview, or pick up an approved visa.
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A statement issued by Immigration urged applicants for FDH visas to consider going through the Smart Renewal Service so they can reduce traveling outside their homes, and contribute to the campaign to contain the coronavirus.
The new arrangement was introduced amid mounting concerns among
FDHs whose visa extension applications remain stuck in Immigration, even if
their permits to remain in
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Immigration says it will explore the possibility of extending the Smart renewal service to other FDH visa-related applications.
For details of the Smart Renewal service, please visit www.immd.gov.hk/fdh or call the enquiry hotline at 2824 6111, or fax to 2877 7711 or email enquiry@immd.gov.hk.
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