HK E-channel
 

Any reports on this? I'd like to sign up next time through.

http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immig...nnel.htm#fvapc

1) What are the hours of the enrollment office? (Anything different from link, which says one is open until 11p?)

2) Must one enroll right after arriving, or can one do it on departure?

3) How do they handle new passports? If the barcode is affixed to the passport, can I use that barcode yet my new passport and get the new one coded on my next trip?

I don't know the answers to your specific questions, but it matters not because the enrollment process is easy as pie and the cumulative benefit (in terms of time saved) is vast. Just do it!

Well, I don't doubt the value . . . just the practicalities.

It takes less than 5 minutes to enroll.

I'm pretty sure one can only enroll on arrival. My question is this: I can enroll by virtue of FF card, but if travelling with family, I'm presuming I can't enroll them aswell on the back of my entitlement, is that correct? We only go to HKG about twice a year so they won't qualify by themselves (or by other criteria).

If so, of limited utility to me, since travel to HKG is usually with the family.

tb

Those guys never asked to see my FF card. They simply looked at my passport.

I needed to renew/reapply since I recently changed passports. Looks like the enrollment office is only open until 6pm, and only accessible upon arrival. Looks like I'll have to do it next time. Thankfully the queues were super short this time (Y)

But you go to HK more than 3 times a year -- so you qualify by that criterion alone.

tb

They definitely looked at my FF card, and in fact looked it up in a book to make sure it qualified. But even so, the whole process takes less than 5 minutes, unless there is a line.

Wonder which FF cards are eligible.

I don't know. I qualified based on UA status, which I believe requires any Premier level but not non-premier base membership. I saw somewhere at some point a list of participating airlines, but now the official website for the program just says "Ask your airline." But in UA's case, I can't imagine anyone you could talk to at UA would know anything about it, perhaps with the exception of the local Hong Kong sales office.

I think as a general rule of thumb, most major international airlines that serve Hong Kong participate. I would be surprised if any airline that doesn't actually fly into Hong Kong participates, even if they have an alliance partner that does.

from experience yesterday... the e channel enrolment office is to the left hand side bank of immigration booths, and it located directly before baggage reclaim 5 I think (might be 4, but it's one of those). ifmyoumwere coming from elsewhere you'd find carousel 5 and then turn left.

what I didn't realise (and I got caught by this) is that passports with less than 6 months validity become ineligible for e channel. it allowed my to enter the first barrier, but on taking the fingerprint it rejected and an officer had to come get me.

with less than 6 months you have to fill out a form and enter HKG the normal way. thankfully there were no queues on arrival.

apparently I could register my other passport, then transfer the e channel back to my preferred passport when I get it renewed... although I wasn't entirely sure that the officer knew what I was asking (I'd much rated have it on the passport I frequently use).

as per this article there are at least 30 airlines participating
http://www.ausbt.com.au/skip-hk-pass...t-visitor-card

Are they still placing the bar code stamps on the back of the passport? How ignorant if so. They should at least be placed inside the last page- the officials who put stickers on the back don't know/don't care about the HK immigration stamp, and could very easily place something on top of it.

yes. on the back page.

but you are calling them stupid, uneducated and unsophisticated because they have designed a product that saves you countless hours over the lifetime of your passport?