Govt plans law changes requiring early passenger info

The government on Wednesday said it plans to change laws in the second half of this year to require airlines to send information on inbound travellers to the authorities before flight departures.

In papers submitted to the legislature, the Security Bureau said new subsidiary legislation related to immigration laws passed last year would apply to inbound travellers only, and outbound flights would not be affected.

It said personal details – such as the traveller’s name, date of birth, nationality and passport details – would have to be sent to the Immigration Department 40 minutes before a flight was scheduled to take off.

The bureau proposes that airlines should be subject to a maximum penalty of a HK$100,000 fine if they fail to provide accurate information on passengers in time, or if they allow a banned passenger to get on a flight.

The bureau said people with right of abode in Hong Kong would not be barred from boarding.

“In Hong Kong, the freedom to travel and the right to enter or leave Hong Kong of Hong Kong residents are guaranteed under Article 31 of the Basic Law and Article 8 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights as set out in the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance,” it said in the paper.

The bureau added that it will ensure the new system conforms with the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights.