Immigration Ordinance

Immigration Ordinance
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
  • An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the law relating to immigration and deportation.
CitationCap. 115
Enacted byLegislative Council of Hong Kong
Commenced22 October 1971
Legislative history
Introduced byAttorney General Denys Roberts
Introduced9 July 1971
First reading21 July 1971
Second reading13 October 1971
Third reading13 October 1971
Status: Current legislation

The Immigration Ordinance is Chapter 115 of Hong Kong's Ordinances. It regulates the immigration issues of Hong Kong, such as Right of Abode, immigration control and enforcement of illegal immigration by Immigration Department.

Introduced in 1971 (as Cap 55), it replaced a number of earlier ordinances that dealt with immigration control from China into Hong Kong:

  • Passport Ordinance 1923
  • Travellers' Restriction Ordinance 1915
  • Registration of Persons Ordinance 1916 - amended 1935
  • Immigration Control Ordinance 1940; 1949
  • Deportation Ordinance 1917
  • Immigration and Passport Ordinance 1934

The previous ordinances reflected the flow of immigration prior to establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 which resulted in a large movement of immigrants and illegal immigration from then onwards.[1]

This ordinance is often cited in controversial policies and the restrictive nature of immigration in Hong Kong, especially in regards to right of abode to non-Chinese immigrants[2] after amendments in 1988 to deal with post-handover Hong Kong.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Albert Hung-Yee Chen (September 1988). "The Development of Immigration Law and Policy: The Hong Kong Experience" (PDF). McGill Law Journal. 33 (4). Montréal: 631–675. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  2. ^ Bradsher, Keith (25 March 2013). "Hong Kong Court Denies Residency to Domestics". The New York Times.
  3. ^ "THE BASIC LAW OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA" (PDF). www.basiclaw.gov.hk. May 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2024.

External Reference