Hong Kong Transfer of Endorsement After Passport Renewal or Replacement: e-Visa and Certified Translation
If you have just renewed or replaced a foreign passport, the Hong Kong transfer of endorsement after passport renewal is the step that usually matters next. In Hong Kong, this is how the Immigration Department updates your current immigration status onto your new travel document. The official process is called Transfer of Endorsement, and it is separate from the consulate process of renewing or replacing the passport itself.
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information and document-preparation planning. It is not legal advice and does not replace instructions from the Hong Kong Immigration Department, your consulate, or a qualified immigration lawyer for complex cases.
Key Takeaways
- If your old passport was renewed or replaced, you may need to apply for Transfer of Endorsement so your current Hong Kong immigration status is reflected on the new travel document.
- ImmD says applications are normally finalised on the same day, but you must be physically in Hong Kong at the time of submission and at the time of e-Visa collection if you use the online route.
- If the old passport was lost, ImmD requires a loss memo from the Hong Kong police. For many applicants, that loss memo is the document that creates the real delay, not the translation.
- Certified translation is important only when your supporting documents are not in Chinese or English. The passport itself often does not need translation; the problem is usually a non-English birth certificate, marriage certificate, nationality proof, or employer letter.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide is for people physically in Hong Kong who already hold a valid Hong Kong immigration status under a foreign passport and have just received a renewed or replacement passport. That includes employees, dependants, students, visitors, entrepreneurs, and foreign domestic helpers.
The most common language reality in this process is not “passport translation.” Hong Kong accepts Chinese and English as official languages, and the government confirms both are official in Hong Kong. That means the usual translation need is a non-Chinese, non-English supporting document that has to be turned into English or Chinese for ImmD. In practice, that may involve Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Nepali, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, or French documents being translated into English or Chinese.
The most common document set is: new passport, old passport if available, current Hong Kong visa or stay record, Form ID 405 for paper filing, and sometimes a Hong Kong police loss memo, proof of new nationality, or an employer letter. The typical stressful situation is simple: the new passport is already in hand, travel is coming up, and the applicant is not sure whether carrying two passports is enough or whether Hong Kong status must be formally transferred first.
Hong Kong Transfer of Endorsement After Passport Renewal: What It Actually Means
Hong Kong uses the term Transfer of Endorsement, not the more generic “visa transfer service.” ImmD describes it as the process for visitors or Hong Kong residents who want their current immigration status indicated on a new travel document after renewal or replacement. The official page also says that until this has been done, it is advisable to carry both old and new travel documents for departure and arrival clearance at Hong Kong immigration control points. That is one of the most important local points in this topic, and it is specific enough that it should be near the top of the article, not buried in FAQ.
This is also where this page must stay narrow. If you still need help with the consulate-side renewal or the lost-passport replacement itself, that is a different problem and should be handled separately. For the broader passport-loss and consulate context, link readers to our Hong Kong guide to foreign passport renewal, lost passport replacement, and translation.
What You Need Before You File
On the current ImmD Transfer of Endorsement page, the standard document list is straightforward:
- your new travel document;
- your old travel document, if you still have it;
- proof of acquisition of new nationality if the new passport is of a different nationality;
- a Hong Kong police loss memo if the old passport was lost; and
- extra documents for special categories, including employer support letters for foreign domestic helpers.
If you file on paper, ImmD says applicants should submit Form ID 405. If you file online through the GovHK transfer of endorsement service, the system asks for uploads instead. GovHK also lists file types and says each uploaded file must be 5MB or below.
The biggest translation rule is also on the official ImmD page: if a document is not in Chinese or English, it must be accompanied by a Chinese or English translation certified as a true translation by a sworn translator, court translator, authorized public translator, certified translator, expert translator, or official translator. That wording matters. In Hong Kong, certified translation is the bridge term international readers will understand, but the more accurate local idea is a Chinese or English translation certified as a true translation.
That is why this is not a good place to repeat a long generic discussion of notarisation or apostille. For most ordinary transfer-of-endorsement cases, ImmD is focused on whether the supporting document is in Chinese or English and whether the translation is properly certified as a true translation. If you need the broader distinction, use a short internal bridge to our guide on certified vs. notarized translation.
When Certified Translation Matters and When It Usually Does Not
A useful local reality check: many applicants do not need certified translation for the passport itself. The pain point is usually one of these supporting documents:
- proof of acquisition of a new nationality;
- a marriage certificate or birth certificate used to support dependent status or an ID 235B case;
- an employer letter or sponsor document not written in Chinese or English; or
- a civil-status document you are attaching because the old passport was lost, replaced, or nationality details changed.
This is the counterintuitive point worth highlighting in the first half of the article: in Hong Kong, people often assume they need to “translate the passport,” but the real risk usually sits in the extra supporting documents. If those documents are already in English, you often do not need Chinese translation at all, because Hong Kong works in both Chinese and English.
If you are preparing files digitally, it is worth linking readers to our guide on electronic certified translation formats and how to upload and order certified translation online, because Hong Kong’s online process is document-upload heavy.
Where to File in Hong Kong
This is where the article becomes genuinely local instead of generic. ImmD does not tell everyone to go to one counter. It routes applicants by current immigration status on the same Transfer of Endorsement page.
- Foreign domestic helpers are directed to the Foreign Domestic Helpers Section, 4/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O.
- Many employment, dependant, entrepreneur, student, and visitor cases route to the Extension Section, 5/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O.
- Mainland-student and some talent-scheme cases route to the Quality Migrants and Mainland Residents Section.
- Some non-Mainland student, employment, dependant, and visitor cases may also use Immigration Branch Offices, but the Transfer of Endorsement page expressly excludes the Hong Kong Island Travel Documents Issuing Office.
This is one of the most useful Hong Kong-specific warnings to give beginners: do not assume every ImmD office handles this process the same way. The current headquarters page lists the relevant sections in Tseung Kwan O, and the same official office information shows the key headquarters sections operating from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Older internet guidance may still send people to older addresses, so re-check the current ImmD office page before travelling.
Online, In Person, Fee, and e-Visa Reality
The online route is real, but it is not a fully remote solution. On the GovHK online application page, the government says you are not eligible to use the service if you are not physically present in Hong Kong at the time of submission, if you will not be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of collection of your e-Visa, or if your limit of stay has expired.
That physical-presence rule is one of the most important practical points in this topic. It means “I will do it after I leave Hong Kong” is often the wrong plan.
For timing, ImmD says transfer-of-endorsement applications will normally be finalised on the same day. That is strong enough to write as the default official line, but the wording should still stay precise: normally finalised on the same day is not the same thing as “guaranteed instant completion in every case.”
For cost, the current ImmD fee table lists “Endorsement to a travel document for which no specific fee is provided” at HK$350. If the case is approved, ImmD says the applicant can pay through the payment link, the GovHK site, or the ImmD mobile app using card, PPS, FPS, or certain mainland e-wallets. If paying in person, the official page also lists cash, EPS, Octopus, FPS, mainland e-wallets, or cheque.
After payment, the result is an e-Visa, not a new sticker label. ImmD explains that the e-Visa can be saved on a mobile device or printed on A4 paper, and that it contains an encrypted QR code for verification. This matters in practice because many people still expect a passport sticker. Hong Kong stopped issuing the older sticker-type labels for these applications in the e-Visa era.
What Happens If the Old Passport Was Lost
If the old passport was lost, ImmD’s own transfer-of-endorsement page says you must produce a loss memo from the Hong Kong police. That is the official minimum. In real-life student guidance, Hong Kong universities make the workflow even more concrete.
For example, HKU’s student visa FAQ tells international students to present both old and new passports when entering Hong Kong until transfer is done, then apply for Transfer of Endorsement at ImmD in person. PolyU’s Academic Registry guidance is even more operational: it tells students who lose a travel document in Hong Kong to obtain a reported loss memo online from the Hong Kong Police Force, get a school support letter, and then visit the relevant ImmD section before applying the transfer once the replacement document is available. Those university pages are not the rule source, but they are good local evidence of the frictions applicants actually face.
If your case is not a student case, the exact supporting-letter step may not apply to you. But the broader local lesson still does: once the old passport is gone, the Hong Kong police memo becomes a real part of the timeline, and the replacement passport plus follow-up transfer can quickly turn into a multi-step process.
Local Pitfalls That Cause Delay
- Assuming the consulate step is the whole job. In Hong Kong, the passport renewal or replacement is often only the first half. The local immigration-status update is a separate follow-up.
- Using the wrong office. The correct handling section depends on your current status. Some cases can use branch offices, but not all locations are interchangeable.
- Leaving Hong Kong before the process is really complete. The online route still ties collection of the e-Visa to physical presence in Hong Kong.
- Treating translation as an afterthought. If a required supporting document is not in Chinese or English, an informal translation or self-translation can create a preventable request for more documents.
- Ignoring the two-passport period. ImmD and university guidance both point in the same direction: until the transfer is done, carrying both old and new documents is the safer approach.
Local Data and Access Signals That Matter
Hong Kong is not just “another English-speaking immigration office.” The government’s own facts page says Chinese and English are the official languages of Hong Kong. That helps explain why English-language supporting documents usually work without a Chinese translation.
There is another Hong Kong-specific signal sitting directly on the GovHK transfer-of-endorsement page: the service page is offered not only in Chinese and English, but also in Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese. That is not a legal rule, but it is a useful local access signal. It tells you this process is designed for a multilingual non-local population, including migrant workers and other residents who may need document support in practice.
The e-Visa system is another local feature that changes how applicants should prepare. Because the output is a downloadable or printable e-Visa rather than a passport sticker, applicants should keep clean PDF records and be ready to save the file to a phone or print it on A4 paper. If you are unsure how to package a translation for online filing, see our guide to digital certified translations.
Commercial Translation Providers in Hong Kong
The main point of this comparison is not to rank providers. It is to show what kinds of public, verifiable local signals you should look for if you need a certified translation for a Hong Kong immigration filing.
| Provider | Public local signal | What the site publicly says | Fit for this topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASAP Translation | Room 506, 5/F, New World Tower 1, 16-18 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2264 8323 | Public site says it is Hong Kong-based and offers certified translation. | Useful if you want a local office signal and a provider already talking about certified documents. |
| Multilingual Translation Services (MTS) | Room 1402, OfficePlus, 93-103 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong; +852 2581 9099 | Public site says it has served Hong Kong since 1993 and offers certified translation for immigration and official documents. | Useful if your supporting document is not in Chinese or English and you want a local provider with many language pairs. |
| Perfect Translation | Shop L, G/F, 123 Quarry Bay Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong; +852 2831 9006 | Public site says it handles certified translation and government or consulate-related work. | Relevant for applicants who want a Hong Kong-address provider and official-document positioning. |
For many straightforward cases, a local lawyer is not the first thing you need. A properly prepared certified translation is often the more practical purchase. If you prefer a remote document-preparation route, you can upload your documents to CertOf and use it specifically for the translation and formatting stage rather than for government representation.
Public Resources and Complaint Paths
| Resource | Who it helps | What it can do |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration Department contact page | All applicants | General enquiries, office contact points, and complaint channels. ImmD says you can raise a problem on the spot or call the Customer Services Unit at (852) 2829 4141 or 2829 4142 during office hours. |
| Hong Kong Police Force e-Report / police stations | Applicants whose old passport was lost | Loss reporting path that supports the loss memo requirement referenced by ImmD. |
| University visa offices such as HKU and PolyU | Students only | Practical workflow help, support-letter guidance, and local campus-specific reminders. |
| Office of The Ombudsman complaint form | Applicants with a serious maladministration concern after first raising the matter | Secondary complaint route for government-department administration issues; not a substitute for normal case processing. |
How CertOf Fits This Hong Kong Process
CertOf is not a government filing agent, not a law firm, and not an official booking channel for ImmD. In this topic, its role is narrower and more practical: preparing a certified translation when a required supporting document is not in Chinese or English, and helping you package a file that is easier to upload or present without triggering avoidable document questions.
If your file includes a birth certificate, marriage certificate, nationality certificate, employer letter, or another non-Chinese, non-English document, you can use CertOf for the document-preparation side of the process. Start with the translation submission page, and if you want to understand turnaround and revision expectations first, see our page on revision and delivery policies.
FAQ
Do I need transfer of endorsement after renewing my passport in Hong Kong?
If you hold a current Hong Kong immigration status under the old passport, usually yes. ImmD’s Transfer of Endorsement process is how that status is shown on the new travel document.
Can I just travel with both passports and skip the transfer?
ImmD says it is advisable to carry both old and new travel documents until the transfer has been done. That is not the same as saying you should skip the transfer entirely. For anyone still living, studying, working, or re-entering Hong Kong under that status, finishing the formal update is the safer route.
What if my old passport was lost?
ImmD says you must produce a loss memo from the Hong Kong police. After that, the rest of the file depends on your status and the replacement passport you obtained from your consulate.
How much does transfer of endorsement cost in Hong Kong?
The current ImmD fee table lists endorsement to a travel document at HK$350.
Is transfer of endorsement really same day?
ImmD says applications will normally be finalised on the same day. Treat that as the official default, not as an absolute guarantee for every file.
Can I do the whole thing online from outside Hong Kong?
No. GovHK says you are not eligible for the online service if you are not physically present in Hong Kong at submission or if you will not be physically present in Hong Kong at the time of e-Visa collection.
Do I need certified translation for the new passport?
Often not. The more common issue is a supporting document that is not in Chinese or English. That is where certified translation usually matters in this process.
Do I need notarisation or apostille for the translation?
For ordinary transfer-of-endorsement filings, ImmD’s page focuses on a Chinese or English translation certified as a true translation. It does not frame notarisation or apostille as the standard default for the translation itself.
CTA
If your Hong Kong transfer-of-endorsement file includes any supporting document that is not in Chinese or English, handle the translation before you upload or appear at ImmD. You can submit your documents to CertOf here for certified translation support, and you can also review how online ordering works before you start.
