Home Affairs Department - About Us

Performance Pledges

attend to an enquirer within three minutes at a Home Affairs Enquiry Centre;
attend to a telephone enquiry made at the Telephone Enquiry Centre (Telephone: 2835 2500) within one minute [discounting typhoon periods] ;
inform an applicant making bookings of individual sessions of facilities at community centre/hall of the outcome of his application within ten working days of receipt or drawing lots, where appropriate;
inform an applicant making block bookings of facilities at community centre/hall for a continuous period of up to three months of the outcome of his application within 21 working days of receipt or drawing lots, where appropriate;
activate the headquarters and districts Emergency Co-ordination Centres and open up temporary shelters within 15 minutes during office hours and within 90 minutes outside office hours; and
reimburse an applicant for organising community involvement programmes, endorsed by District Council, within 30 working days of receipt of an application and all necessary documents and information.

conduct inspection within eight working days of receipt of a complaint in respect of unlicensed guesthouses, clubhouses, bedspace apartments and karaoke establishments;
notify an applicant of the result of initial checking of documents within four working days of receipt of an application for new licence/certificate of compliance/permit and their renewal;
conduct site inspection to the proposed establishment premises and issue letter of upgrading requirements within 22 working days upon notifying an applicant of the result of initial checking of documents;
for application of new hotel/guesthouse licence and new clubhouse certificate of compliance, notify an applicant of the application result within 35 working days upon receipt of the report of completion of the required upgrading works; and
for performance pledge on issue of entertainment licences (including Amusement Game Centre Licences, Amusements with Prizes Licences, Public Dance Hall Licences, Lotteries Licences, Mahjong / Tin Kau Licences, Tombola Licences and Trade Promotion Competition Licences), please click here.

issue a Confirmation Notice, certifying that the handling of a small estate wholly made up of money not exceeding $50,000 will be exempted from the relevant intermeddling provisions, within 12 working days of receipt of an application and all necessary documents and information;
issue a Certificate for Necessity of Inspection of Bank Deposit Box within ten working days of receipt of an application and all necessary documents and information;
issue an Authorization for Removal from Bank Deposit Box within ten working days of receipt of an application and all necessary documents and information;
issue a Certificate for Necessity of Release of Money to meet funeral expenses of a deceased person within one hour of receipt of an application and all necessary documents and information; and
issue a Certificate for Necessity of Release of Money for maintenance of former dependants of a deceased person within five working days of receipt of an application and all necessary documents and information.

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) will acknowledge receipt of an application for rates exemption within ten calendar days on receiving the application.
The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) will respond to a request for recommendation from HAD on an application within three months after receiving the request if no investigative work is required for the houses concerned.
The Lands Department (LandsD) will respond to a request from HAD for advice within three months after receiving the request if no investigative work is required for the houses concerned.
HAD will complete processing a rates exemption application within four months upon receipt of recommendation and advice from RVD and, where appropriate, LandsD, if the applicant has submitted all information required.