Expansion of Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Persons Participating in Arbitral Proceedings in Hong Kong
With effect from today (November 3), the Government will expand the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Persons Participating in Arbitral Proceedings in Hong Kong.
The Central Government Offices. Photo source: reference image
Since the regularisation of the Scheme with effect from March 1, 2025, the Scheme has been well-received by the legal and dispute resolution sector and the international arbitration community. It has successfully facilitated international and cross-border arbitral proceedings conducted in Hong Kong, strengthening Hong Kong's position as a premier international arbitration hub. Under the original Scheme, relevant individuals are allowed to participate in arbitral proceedings in Hong Kong as visitors without the need to obtain an employment visa/entry permit if they are in possession of a letter of proof (Letter) issued by a designated arbitral and dispute resolution institution in Hong Kong or a designated venue provider proving that the relevant individuals are eligible persons participating in arbitral proceedings in Hong Kong.
Building on this success and having regard to rapid growth of demands, the Scheme is now expanded to cover arbitral proceedings physically taking place in Hong Kong (including the hybrid ones) and administered by dispute resolution institutions or permanent offices set up in the Chinese Mainland, Macao, Taiwan or overseas and supported by a designated arbitral and dispute resolution institution in Hong Kong under the Arrangement Concerning Mutual Assistance in Court-ordered Interim Measures in Aid of Arbitral Proceedings by the Courts of the Mainland and of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In this context, "supported by" means that a designated arbitral and dispute resolution institution would provide venue, hearing or meeting facilities and ancillary services such as services of tribunal reporters and interpreters, translators and caterers to support the arbitrations administered by such a dispute resolution institution or permanent office set up in the Chinese Mainland, Macao, Taiwan or overseas.
For the newly covered arbitral proceedings, the designated arbitral and dispute resolution institutions in Hong Kong offering support are required to verify the identity of the participants in the arbitral proceedings and issue the Letter to those eligible persons.
Save for the above, all other existing requirements and eligibility criteria under the Scheme remain unchanged and apply equally to the newly covered arbitral proceedings under the Scheme so expanded. Where applicable, users of the Scheme following the expansion are still required to apply for the requisite visit visa/entry permit in order to enter Hong Kong. The five categories of eligible persons covered by the Scheme are permitted to stay in Hong Kong for participating in arbitral proceedings for a period not exceeding the period for which they are permitted to remain in Hong Kong as a visitor. They shall produce the Letter upon inspection by the Immigration Department or the relevant authorities, if required.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) has issued the updated Guidance Note to the above-mentioned designated arbitral and dispute resolution institutions in light of the expansion of the Scheme. For more details, please visit the DoJ website.
A spokesperson for the DoJ said, "The expansion of the Scheme provides further convenience to eligible persons covered by the Scheme. It incentivises parties to choose Hong Kong as the place to conduct arbitration, thereby bolstering Hong Kong's competitiveness as a leading arbitral seat."
The Department of Justice. Photo source: reference image
Speech by STL at launching ceremony of Super Terminal Expo
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, at the launching ceremony of Super Terminal Expo today (November 3):
The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan. Photo source: reference image
(Deputy Administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China Mr Han Jun), Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Mr Fred Lam, COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Informa PLC and Chief Executive of Informa Markets, Mr Patrick Martell, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is indeed my great pleasure to join and welcome you all to this marvelous event. Hong Kong is very honoured to host this premier global gathering at a historic milestone in our city's developmental journey. Following the success of our event last year, we are thrilled that this third edition of the Super Terminal Expo has seen a significant increase in both participants and exhibition booths. This remarkable growth is a strong testament to Hong Kong's enduring significance in the global aviation landscape. This year's expanded showcase puts a special spotlight on our cutting-edge smart airport initiatives, alongside our robust aviation pillar industries, including aircraft maintenance and recycling, and the rapidly evolving low-altitude economy. With our Three-Runway System unlocking new potentials, and the realisation of our Airport City vision through SKYTOPIA, we are setting new global benchmarks for smart airports, sustainability and seamless travel for passengers. The Super Terminal Expo offers an unparalleled platform to showcase how Hong Kong shapes the future of terminal operations around the world.
Indeed, our commitment to setting these global benchmarks is already recognised by the international community. Just recently, Hong Kong International Airport received two prestigious honours at the Payload Asia Awards, including the top accolade of Global Airport of the Year, as well as Air Cargo Technology Provider of the Year, marking the fourth consecutive year our technological advancements have been recognised worldwide. Furthermore, our outstanding cargo performance and capabilities were once again recognised and affirmed at the 42nd Air Cargo News Awards in London, where we were named Cargo Hub of the Year, proudly retaining the title we won in 2024. Deep congratulations to the Airport Authority Hong Kong for the wonderful performance over the past few years.
Just weeks ago, we unveiled Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan for economic and social development. This foundational blueprint establishes a clear roadmap to reinforce Hong Kong's position as the world's international aviation hub, explicitly steering our industries toward a high-value-added, green and smart future.
Hong Kong. Photo source: reference image
Under this year's theme, "Shaping Asia's Future Transportation Hubs", we are united around three critical pillars: design and development, operations and efficiency, and connectivity and mobility. In this spirit of redefining the future, it is only fitting that we stand here today to witness our next major step forward - a vital new milestone for Hong Kong's international aviation hub.
Today, Hong Kong International Airport is officially launching a game-changing service under the National "Trunk-Branch Connectivity, Whole-Network Linkage" initiative, , through two pioneering corridors: the Hangzhou-Hong Kong Connect and the Wuhan-Hong Kong Connect. By launching these two corridors, we are integrating with our national transfer platform that has already achieved significant and phenomenal success on a massive scale. To put this into perspective, this transfer platform is already active across more than 260 airports on the Mainland and has cumulatively facilitated over 260 million transfer passengers, allowing tens of millions of travellers to enjoy the unprecedented convenience of one-stop check-in and seamless baggage transfers, the two most critical functions to enhance customer experience.
This is far more than a commercial expansion. It is a policy breakthrough which embeds Hong Kong directly into the national overall aviation architecture, and definitively anchors our aviation legacy and secures our future as the preeminent international gateway connecting the Chinese Mainland, the second-largest economy and second-most-populated country to the rest of the world, of course, through Hong Kong, an important aviation hub. To maximise this advantage, we are actively expanding our global footprint. Under Hong Kong's recently promulgated Five-Year Plan, we have set, among other important targets, a very important target to increase our global aviation network from the existing 220 destinations to 240. With this expansion of global destinations, we can strategise and focus on high-growth target markets such as South America, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
By aligning our global reach directly with the domestic network, Hong Kong is uniquely empowered to act as the vital lynchpin, which is small but serves a very important role, where the country's "inner circulation" seamlessly connects with the international "outer circulation". This lynchpin role of Hong Kong International Airport is absolutely pivotal to Hong Kong fulfilling our unique mandate as a "super-connector" and "super value-adder" for the nation and the world, unlocking tremendous opportunities for the trade and for our aviation industry.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we embark on this transformative chapter, Hong Kong stands ready not just to witness the future of global aviation, but to participate and redefine it. The access is built, the market is ready, and the opportunity to capture prime market share and create lasting value is right in front of us. Now, the stage is set. May I invite all of you to participate and seize these golden opportunities ahead. Together, we can turn visionary blueprints into real actions and shared global success.
Thank you.
The Super Terminal Expo. Photo source: superterminalexpo.com
