ChrisLi

On the website it says it requires you to provide your travel doc with info on your last year's traveling in Hong Kong, which when it says travel document, I will assume it is the stamps on the passport

http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/p...r-channel.html
In terms of visit I will assume it is 1 entry and 1 exit to make 1 visit, so I guess if you go via immigration it will count as 1 to the pool, if you do not go via immigration and only go with transit security, it will count 0

popcorndk

easy thing, just need to get to the landside and get through immigration again. Thanks ChrisLi

jbfield

Do you think it would it matter if my initial three entry stamps using HKIA are all on the same day?

(Thinking theoretically, in case I have a few hours to spend between flights.)

abraxis

I would guess not since when you transit, you stay airside and you generally don't go through passport control. Now if you have a 4+ hour transit, you can enter HK, get your entry and have some good food outside the airport.

hoto

My sister tried to get this as a foreign passport holder, with a HKID card and was denied because of the HKID card just as an FYI.

I haven't tried it myself, but will take a look this december.

popcorndk

what about Macau? I took a trip to Macau during my stay two weeks ago, and got the stamp, dont know if that counts ... and abraxis, thanks for the advice, I have a 4- hour connection, so will not go to the center even though I am very much tempted by the nice food :-D

jbfield

No it wouldn't because you're not entering Hong Kong via HKIA.

NickW

I notice you have CX listed as one of your programmes. All CX elite flyers can register without further documentation to use the Frequent Visitor e-channel gates.

popcorndk

Thanks for the info NickW, I have registered with CX not long ago, and will have my first flight with CX in two weeks' time. Guess takes some time to get to the elite status. Unless they also count Green as elite?

NickW

No; Green is the basic level of the MPC. Silver/Gold/Diamond get the e-channel access. N.B. if you have elite status on another airline and you are planning to move business to CX then it's worth asking them for a status comp.

hclee01

I just received the following email. It seems that if you use the e-channel at the HKIA airport, it seems that the system may not have captured that you have used your HKIA Frequent Visitor Card. You will need to produce the label to prove that you have visited HKIA 6 times in 2 years to renew your card.

===========================

Dear Frequent Visitor Card Member,

Thank you for your continuous support to the Frequent Visitor Channel ("FVC") at Hong Kong International Airport ("HKIA").

With immediate effect, FVC members who use e-Channels service provided by the Hong Kong Immigration Department are recommended to keep the landing slips printed out at the arrival level for card renewal purpose. You may also approach our regulator in blue uniform posting in front of the FVC counters for registering your travel record. Current member will be eligible for renewal if you have used the FVC service or the e-Channel service for 6 times or more within the card validity period of 2 years.

For more information and scheme details on HKIA Frequent Visitor Channel, please visit us at www.hongkongairport.com. Thank you again for being our honorable member and use of Frequent Visitor Channel at our Airport. We welcome you on your future travels to HKIA.

Yours faithfully,

The Administrator
HKIA Frequent Visitor Channel

may_east

Hi,
just got my HKIA card in the mail.
a bit confused about the first use.
do i directly go to the e-channel gate ? or need to go to the e-channel office (which is after the immigration) ?
can someone please guide me through the first use ?

thanks

christep

As I understand it, all you have at this point is the Frequent Visitor Card; in that case you're going to need to be processed manually first time because they don't have your fingerprints which are necessary to drive the e-channel. So go to the manual desk for the frequent visitor card, then go to the enrolment office for the e-channel.

may_east

thanks for your answer.
but i still do not understand.
you write "So go to the manual desk for the frequent visitor card, then go to the enrolment office for the e-channel. ".

what is the "manual desk" ?

-----
i just have the HKIA card to which i've applied via the web and received by mail. I do understand that i have to register to e-channel. but from the instructions i see, the registration booth is AFTER immigration.
so do i have to go thru regular immigration (i read that you can present the card to bypass the regular line, is this correct?) and into the booth for fingerprint scanning ?

christep

You don't actually "have to register" for the e-channel - it's an option if you are happy handing over your fingerprint data.

The alternative is to use the manned desk which is dedicated to "Frequent Visitor Card holders" (and maybe one or two other categories). This means that you still get processed by an Immigration Officer, but you bypass the sometimes long queue for the normal "Visitors" desks.

First time you have to use the manned desk for "Frequent Visitors". Whether you then register for the e-channel is up to you. Since I have never seen any queue at all at the frequent visitor manned desk then you would be saving very little time if any using the e-channel, so in principle I don't see why you might want to hand over your fingerprint information.