When we travel to Hong Kong, one important step is completing an arrival card. This card asks for our personal details and information about our visit. We hand this card over to the immigration officer once we arrive.
In Hong Kong, arrival cards are still filled out by hand on paper. Flight attendants often give these cards out on planes heading to Hong Kong. We can also pick one up in the immigration area once we land in Hong Kong.
The arrival card is made up of three papers joined at the top. The first page is for our arrival details in Hong Kong. The second page is a departure card, where we note details about leaving Hong Kong.
The third page has important rules from Hong Kong's immigration that all tourists need to follow. We should keep these three pages together; the immigration officer will separate them when needed.
First up is the arrival card found at the front. You can fill it out on the plane or at a special area in Hong Kong immigration, where tables and pens are ready for you.
A tip for filling out the card: press down a bit with your pen. The paper is like carbon paper, meaning your writing goes through to the next sheet. This makes your details clearer on both sheets.
Before you start, collect your passport, boarding pass, and hotel booking confirmation. You'll need these to fill in the information on the card. Here's what to fill in:
Write your last name or surname exactly as it is in your passport, in capital letters. For example, if your name is "Ganjar Maulana," put down "MAULANA." If it's "Assyfa Octaviyani Istiqomah," then write "ISTIQOMAH."
Your given name is your first name. Again, write this in capital letters. So, "Ganjar Maulana" becomes "GANJAR," and "Assyfa Octaviyani Istiqomah" should be written as "ASSYFA OCTAVIYANI."
Write your gender in English: "Male" or "M" for men and "Female" or "F" for women.
In this part, write down the number of your travel document, which is usually your passport. Make sure to enter your passport number accurately.
Here, you need to fill in where and when your passport was issued. For instance, you might write something like "Bandung, 17 August 2021." Ensure that this information matches what's in your passport.
In the nationality section, simply state your nationality. For example, if you're from Indonesia, write "Indonesia."
Your date of birth goes in this section. It's divided into three parts: day, month, and year. Fill in each part accordingly with your birth date.
For the place of birth, write down where you were born, exactly as it appears in your passport. If you were born in Bandung, for instance, put "Bandung" here.
Here, you need to write the address where you'll stay in Hong Kong. This could be a hotel, hostel, or another type of lodging. Check your booking document for the address.
Since the space for writing is small, you might not be able to fit the entire address. No worries, though. Just write the area name or the name of your hotel or hostel.
In the home address section, write the address of where you live in your home country. Make sure it's complete and accurate.
For this part, write down how you arrived in Hong Kong. If you flew in, include your flight number, which you can find on your boarding pass. For example, it might be "SQ 951."
If you arrived by sea, like on a ferry, write the name of the ship. For instance, if you took a ferry from Macau, you could write "TurboJet" or "Cotai Water Jet."
In this section, write the city you left to come to Hong Kong, like "Jakarta" or "Singapore."
At the end, sign your name in the "Signature of Traveller" column.
Once you've filled out all the information on the arrival card, head to the immigration line. There, you'll give your completed card to the immigration officer, who will check and record your details.
After you're through with immigration, the officer will keep your arrival card and give you the second sheet, which is your departure card. You'll also get a paper slip. This slip shows your personal information and the longest you can stay in Hong Kong.
This slip takes the place of a stamp or sticker in your passport. Keep it safe until you leave Hong Kong. If you lose it, you'll need to visit the immigration office. The address for this office is on the third sheet of the arrival card.
When leaving Hong Kong, it's time to fill out the departure card. You can do this at the same time as the arrival card, but it's okay to fill it out later too. The immigration officer will check it when you're leaving.
Most of the information on the departure card is the same as on the arrival card. The good news is that when you fill out the arrival card, most details will automatically transfer to the departure card because of the special paper used.
There are just 3 sections you need to fill out separately, as they differ from the arrival card information. Here are those sections:
Write the flight number you're using to leave Hong Kong, found on your boarding pass or plane ticket. If leaving by sea, write the name of the ship, like "TurboJet" or "Cotai Water Jet."
In this part, enter the city where your flight or ship is headed, like "Jakarta" or "Macau."
Finally, sign your name in the "Signature of Traveller" section.
Once you've filled everything in, bring the departure card to the immigration officer at the airport or port. The officer will check and collect it.
That's how you fill out the arrival and departure cards for Hong Kong immigration. Always make sure your information is correct to avoid any issues during the immigration process.
