FAQs

The registrant should fulfil the criteria below, i.e. the registrant -

1. is aged 18 or above on or before 18 June 2021; and
2. as at 18 June 2021,
   1. is a Hong Kong permanent resident holding a valid locally-issued^{[Note 1]} Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card ("HKPIC") or a valid Certificate of Exemption ("EC") issued by the Commissioner of Registration under the Registration of Persons Regulations (Cap. 177A); or
   2. is a Hong Kong resident holding a valid Hong Kong Identity Card ("HKIC") or EC issued by the Commissioner of Registration under the Registration of Persons Regulations (Cap. 177A) who has come to Hong Kong on Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (commonly known as "One Way Permit"); or
   3. is a Hong Kong resident holding a valid HKIC or EC issued by the Commissioner of Registration under the Registration of Persons Regulations (Cap. 177A) who has valid permission to remain in Hong Kong as a dependant sponsored by (b)(i) above; and
3. complies with the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement^{[Note 2]}.

[Note 1: A locally-issued HKPIC refers to a permanent identity card registered in Hong Kong and does not bear "ISSUED OVERSEAS 海外簽發" on the card face.]

[Note 2: For the purpose of the Scheme, it refers to a person who has not been absent from Hong Kong continuously for the 24 months immediately before 18 June 2021, unless because during the said period, the person was:

1. a recipient of assistance under the Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, allowance under the Guangdong Scheme, or allowance under the Fujian Scheme;
2. studying in a school/university outside Hong Kong which is recognised by the relevant authority;
3. a participant of the Working Holiday Scheme administered by the Labour Department;
4. hospitalised outside Hong Kong for medical reasons;
5. performing duties outside Hong Kong for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government ("Government") or for a company/organisation located in Hong Kong on a temporary basis*; or accompanying an immediate family member performing such duties; and/or
6. having other exceptional reason(s) as may be determined by the Government as valid for the purpose of the Scheme.

*For the purpose of the Scheme, it means the person is employed by a company or organisation located in Hong Kong and has been temporarily deployed to work outside Hong Kong, and has the intention to return to Hong Kong after the deployment.]

A person who satisfies the requirements of age, proof of identity and "residing in Hong Kong" under the Scheme may register for the receiving of consumption vouchers. Whether the person is holding an adult or juvenile identity card does not affect his/her eligibility under the Scheme.

A locally-issued HKPIC refers to a permanent identity card which is registered in Hong Kong and does not bear the words "ISSUED OVERSEAS" (海外簽發) on the card face (click here for a sample).

A valid HKIC refers to a smart HKIC issued on or after 23 June 2003 (click here for a sample). Under the Registration of Persons (Invalidation of Identity Cards) Order (Cap. 177 sub. leg.), all identity cards issued before that date have become invalid. For details of the HKIC, please visit the Immigration Department's website (www.immd.gov.hk) or call its enquiry hotline 2824 6111.

Under the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177) and the Registration of Persons Regulations (Cap. 177A) of the Laws of Hong Kong, only residents in Hong Kong aged 11 or above are required to register for a Hong Kong identity card. The aged, the blind or the infirm who satisfy a registration officer that their personal attendance for registration of a Hong Kong identity card in compliance with the law will injure their health or the health of others may apply to the Immigration Department for an EC. Persons not residing in Hong Kong are not required to register for a Hong Kong identity card or an EC under the law. For details of the EC, please visit the Immigration Department's website (https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/hkid/appforcert.html) or call its enquiry hotline 2824 6111.

As at 18 June 2021, Hong Kong permanent residents holding an EC or Hong Kong residents holding an EC who either come to Hong Kong on a Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (commonly known as "One Way Permit") or have valid permission to stay in Hong Kong as dependants (whose sponsors are Hong Kong permanent residents) may register for receiving consumption vouchers if they satisfy the requirements of age and "residing in Hong Kong" under the Scheme.

Under the Registration of Persons (Invalidation of Identity Cards) Order (Cap. 177 sub. leg.) of the Laws of Hong Kong, all identity cards issued before 23 June 2003 (i.e. old identity cards) have become invalid. Holders of an old identity card do not satisfy the requirement of proof of identity under the Scheme.

To satisfy the requirement of proof of identity under the Scheme, a person must hold a HKPIC as at 18 June 2021, unless he/she has come to Hong Kong on a Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (commonly known as "One Way Permit"), or has valid permission to remain in Hong Kong as a dependant sponsored by a Hong Kong permanent resident and holds a Hong Kong Identity Card as at 18 June 2021.

A person may register for the receiving of consumption vouchers if he/she satisfies the requirements of age, proof of identity and "residing in Hong Kong" under the Scheme. Generally speaking, the loss of an identity card does not affect the holder's eligibility under the Scheme.

To satisfy the requirement of proof of identity under the Scheme, a person must hold a valid locally-issued HKPIC as at 18 June 2021.

A Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao (commonly known as "One-way Permit") is a document issued by the Mainland public security authorities to Mainland residents to settle in Hong Kong or Macao.

"Has valid permission to remain in Hong Kong as a dependant" means a person remaining in Hong Kong with permission given by the Immigration Department under the prevailing "dependant policy" and the current limit of stay in Hong Kong is still valid.

To satisfy the requirement of proof of identity under the Scheme, a person must hold a valid HKIC as at 18 June 2021.

For the purpose of the Scheme, it refers to a person who has not been absent from Hong Kong continuously for the 24 months immediately before 18 June 2021, unless because during the said period, the person was:

1. a recipient of assistance under the Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, allowance under the Guangdong Scheme, or allowance under the Fujian Scheme;
2. studying in a school/university outside Hong Kong which is recognised by the relevant authority;
3. a participant of the Working Holiday Scheme administered by the Labour Department;
4. hospitalised outside Hong Kong for medical reasons;
5. performing duties outside Hong Kong for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government ("Government") or for a company/organisation located in Hong Kong on a temporary basis*; or accompanying an immediate family member performing such duties; and/or
6. having other exceptional reason(s) as may be determined by the Government as valid for the purpose of the Scheme.

*For the purpose of the Scheme, it means the person is employed by a company or organisation located in Hong Kong and has been temporarily deployed to work outside Hong Kong, and has the intention to return to Hong Kong after the deployment.

For item (f), a registrant is required to give an explanation and has it endorsed by the Government.

With regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the Scheme, immediate family members refer to the spouse, parents or children of the person concerned.

Persons who have been absent from Hong Kong continuously for 24 months before 18 June 2021 and who are recipients of assistance under the Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, allowance under Guangdong Scheme or Fujian Scheme under the Social Security Allowance Scheme during the period are regarded as having satisfied the requirement of "residing in Hong Kong" under the Scheme.

Eligible persons have to declare that they satisfy the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the Scheme during registration.

The Government will arrange to have the information checked by relevant departments (including the Immigration Department) and randomly select registrants for further examination. The Government has appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu as contractor to help conduct checks on whether selected registrants satisfy the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the Scheme. Upon receipt of an SMS notification sent by the Government or its contractor via the designated telephone number (852 5567 3873), registrants have to provide documents to prove that they satisfy the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the Scheme.

Registrants selected for checks may, depending on their circumstances, provide related documents to prove that they satisfy the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the Scheme. For instance, registrants who have resided in Hong Kong during the 24 months before the 18 June 2021 may provide tenancy agreements, work records, sales receipts, etc as proof. Those who have been absent from Hong Kong continuously for 24 months before 18 June 2021 for any reasons recognised under the Scheme (please refer to Question A1 for details) have to provide relevant proof (e.g. admission documents from schools outside Hong Kong they are/were studying in or certification by hospitals outside Hong Kong they are/were staying at). The contractor appointed by the Government will request relevant information/proof from registrants.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the contractor appointed by the Government, will contact the registrants through SMS via the designated telephone number (852 5567 3873), requesting them to contact the contractor and provide relevant documents. The contractor will also contact the registrants via designated telephone number (2852 1009) for follow-up as and when needed. In case of doubt, registrants can call a designated telephone number of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (2852 1009) to verify the authenticity of the SMS messages/calls received.

The selected registrants may drop a copy of the required documents in person or through another person during office hours into the dropbox at the following locations -

1. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Address: 6th Floor, Phase 4, Cityplaza, 12 Taikoo Bay Road, Hong Kong); or
2. Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat (Address: 17th Floor, Pioneer Center, 750 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon)

The selected registrants may also email the electronic version of the required documents in encrypted form to the designated email address (consumptionvoucher@deloitte.com.hk), and send the password of the encrypted file in another email to the same email address.

Eligible persons have to register for the Scheme to confirm that they meet the relevant eligibility criteria. They also have to choose a stored value facility that suits their needs to receive and use consumption vouchers. Eligible persons may register electronically through the Scheme's website (please refer to Question B20 for the procedures on electronic registration), or fill in paper registration forms and put them, together with a copy of their HK identity cards, in the drop-box at any post offices or designated bank branches (please refer to Question B30 for the procedures on submitting paper registration forms). Each eligible person may only register once for the Scheme. We encourage eligible persons to register electronically through the Scheme's website as far as possible.

The registration period for the Scheme is from 4 July to 14 August 2021, i.e. six weeks in total. Eligible persons of all age groups may register for the Scheme during the period. The Consumption Voucher Scheme's website will be opened for online electronic registration on 4 July 2021. Eligible persons who wish to submit paper registration forms should put their completed forms as well as a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards in the drop box at any post offices or designated bank branches during their opening hours throughout the registration period. As the registration commencement date is a Sunday (4 July), eligible persons shall start submitting paper registration form on the next day (5 July).

Since the processing of paper registration forms involves more procedures and electronic registration is faster and more convenient, eligible persons are encouraged to register electronically through the Scheme's website as far as possible. Besides, the first batch of eligible persons who complete electronic registration will receive consumption vouchers earlier. To avoid a large number of persons registering at the same time and hence affect the operation of the system and hold up the entire process, the first voucher will be disbursed to the stored value facility accounts specified by eligible registrants on 1 August simultaneously for all electronic registrations completed (registrants who use Hong Kong identity card copy for identity authentication shall complete his/her uploading of Hong Kong identity card copy) within the first two weeks of the registration period (i.e. from 4 July to 17 July 2021). In other words, the date of receiving consumption vouchers will not be affected by whether registrants submit electronic registration on an earlier or later date within that period.

As for eligible persons who complete electronic registration between the third and the sixth week of the registration period (i.e. from 18 July to 14 August 2021) (registrants who use Hong Kong identity card copy for identity authentication shall complete his/her uploading of Hong Kong identity card copy by 16 August to complete the registration) and those submitting paper registration forms within the entire registration period, generally speaking, they will all receive the first voucher on 1 September (please refer to Question D1 for the installment arrangement and relevant timetable for the disbursement of consumption vouchers).

Registrants who need to submit supporting documents to confirm their eligibility under the Scheme will receive SMS notifications sent from the designated telephone number (852 5567 3873) informing them of the relevant arrangement. There may be cases which require more time for checking and hence the first instalment of consumption vouchers may not be disbursed to the registrants concerned on the above-mentioned date.

We encourage eligible persons to register electronically through the Scheme's website as far as possible. The first voucher will be disbursed to the stored value facility accounts specified by eligible registrants on 1 August for all electronic registrations completed (registrants who use Hong Kong identity card copy for identity authentication shall complete his/her uploading of Hong Kong identity card copy) within the first two weeks of the registration period (i.e. from 4 July to 17 July 2021). In other words, the date of disbursement of consumption vouchers will not be affected by whether registrants submit electronic registration on an earlier or later date within that period.

Eligible persons who wish to submit paper registration forms should put their completed forms as well as a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards (stapled together and folded in half) in the dropbox at any post offices or designated bank branches during their opening hours throughout the registration period (i.e. from 4 July to 14 August 2021). As the registration commencement date is a Sunday, eligible persons shall start submit the paper registration form on the next day (5 July). Generally speaking, after their eligibility has been confirmed eligible registrants who submit paper forms will receive the first voucher on 1 September simultaneously. Please note that there is no need for eligible persons to queue up in person to submit their forms.

The registration period for the Scheme is from 4 July to 14 August 2021. The deadline for electronic registration is 11:59 p.m. on 14 August 2021 (If registrant choose to upload their Hong Kong identity card ("HKIC") copy for identity authentication, they must upload their HKIC copy on or before 16 August for completing the registration according to the notification). Those who choose to register using paper forms should put their forms as well as a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards in the dropbox at any post offices or designated bank branches during their opening hours on or before the deadline. Please contact the post offices or the banks concerned for enquiries of their individual opening hours.

The Government will disburse electronic consumption vouchers through AlipayHK, Octopus, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK. Eligible persons should select a stored value facility that suits their needs to receive and use consumption vouchers with a total value of $5,000 disbursed by instalments (please refer to Question D1 for the instalment arrangements and relevant timetable for the disbursement of consumption vouchers).

For persons who choose to receive consumption vouchers through Octopus, they should provide a 9-digit or 10-digit number on their Octopus cards (including the last digit in bracket). For those who choose to receive the vouchers through AlipayHK or Tap & Go, they should provide the specific identifier set by the e-wallets for the Scheme. For those who choose to receive the vouchers through WeChat Pay HK, they should provide the relevant WeChat Pay HK account number. Please click the following links (click here) or call the hotlines of the operators concerned (click here for the contacts of SVF operators).

The central registration system will verify the identity of registrants during the registration process. Eligible persons who submit paper registration forms have to provide a copy of their identity documents. Duplicate registration is not allowed under the Scheme. If there are more than one submission from the same person, we will send an SMS notification to the registrant concerned of the later registration received, informing him/her that the registration received subsequently is regarded as duplicate registration, which will not be processed. Moreover, the same stored value facility account cannot be used for registration by more than one registrant for receiving consumption vouchers. We believe that such arrangements will help prevent impersonation or fraudulent use of identity for registration. Cases involving possible illegal acts will be referred to the Police for follow-up.

Members of the public should also handle their personal data with care. They should only ask their trusted relatives or friends to help them register if necessary.

Any person who discovers fraudulent use of his/her identity for registration should call the Police for assistance and notify the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat by calling the Scheme hotline (telephone number: 185000).

To minimise disputes and the risk of fraudulent use of another person's personal data, it is more secure to disburse consumption vouchers directly to the stored value facility account specified by registrants. Registrants may donate the products or services purchased with the consumption vouchers received to other persons or organisations as they wish.

Eligible persons can choose one of the four stored value facilities account designated under the Scheme (including account owned by their family members and friends) to receive and use the consumption vouchers. However, no amendment could be made once the concerned stored value facility account is registered. To minimize disputes, eligible persons are encouraged to register their own stored value facility accounts as far as possible. They should ask only their trusted relatives or friends to help them register if necessary.

To minimise disputes and the risk of fraudulent use of another person's personal data, eligible persons are encouraged to register by themselves as far as possible. They should only ask their trusted relatives or friends to help them register if necessary. As for persons with special needs, we will, as we have done under the Cash Payout Scheme, offer them assistance having regard to their circumstances, such as allowing them to register through a specified agent.

To minimise disputes and the risk of fraudulent use of another person's consumption vouchers, we will disburse the vouchers to the account of the stored value facility specified by eligible registrants. Consumption vouchers cannot be transferred to other accounts, but registrants may donate the products or services purchased with the vouchers to other persons or organisations as they wish.

Registrants should provide an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number on the registration form for receiving notifications from the Government or its contractors regarding the Scheme. Such notifications include reminders to registrants who choose to upload their Hong Kong identity card copy for identity authentication about uploading a copy of their identity cards to the Scheme's website to complete registration, acknowledgements of registration and notifications of successful disbursement of consumption vouchers or unsuccessful registration. Registrants who do not have an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number may consider providing an SMS-enabled local mobile number of their trusted relatives or friends on the registration form. Failure to provide an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number or having only an overseas or Mainland contact telephone number may result in delay in processing or non-processing of registration by the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat or relevant organisations due to the lack of means to contact the registrants concerned.

Each eligible person may only register once for the Scheme (including electronic registration and paper registration form). If the registration submitted by a person is being processed/has been processed by the Government, all other registration received afterwards will be regarded as duplicate registration. SMS notification will be sent to the registrant concerned, informing him/her that his/her duplicate registration will not be processed. If a registrant thinks that there is fraudulent use of his/her personal data for registration, he/she should immediately contact the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat and provide proof of identity for verification. The Secretariat will, in the light of the actual circumstances of each case, take appropriate follow-up actions, including suspending the disbursement of consumption voucher to the stored value facility account specified by the registrant in the earlier successful registration and requesting the registrant concerned to contact the Secretariat for verification of identity. Registrants who think that there is fraudulent use of their personal data may also consider calling the Police for assistance.

If a registrant discovers that he/she has inadvertently provided incorrect information after registration, he/she may call the Scheme's hotline (telephone number: 185000) to enquire about the progress of his/her registration. Depending on the importance of the information, the staff of the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat may contact the registrant, invalidate the registration received upon verification of identity and relevant information and ask the registrant to submit registration again.

In addition, if the staff of the Secretariat discovers that the information provided by a registrant is incorrect or incomplete, depending on the importance of the information, the staff may invalidate the registration received and ask the registrant to submit registration again.

In order to protect the personal data of registrants, avoid disputes and prevent fraudulent acts, the staff of the Secretariat are not allowed to amend for the registrants the information provided in the registration submitted. Neither will they call the registrants to obtain information relating to their registration, including but not limited to the account numbers of the stored value facilities and information on Hong Kong identity cards. The staff of the Secretariat will only contact registrants via the designated telephone number (3852 7500).

To avoid confusion and delay, a registrant should not submit another registration unless and until his/her previous registration has been invalidated.

For electronic registration through the Scheme's website, an acknowledgement of registration will appear on the screen instantly upon completion of the registration procedures. An acknowledgement through SMS will also be sent to the telephone number provided by the registrant concerned. For submission of a paper registration form, the Secretariat will send an acknowledgement through SMS to the telephone number provided by the registrant concerned within around five working days.

Upon verification of registrant's information, an SMS notification will be sent to the registrant informing him/her of the registration result. In general, members of the public will receive SMS notification informing them of the registration result around one week after completing the electronic registration. Registrants who submit paper registration form will receive SMS notification around two weeks after submission.

The Government and its contractors will only send SMS notifications to registrants via the designated telephone numbers (852 6059 1120, 852 5567 3873, 852 6657 0802 or 852 6522 4964) on matters relating to consumption vouchers, including when to upload a copy of their identity cards to the Scheme's website to complete registration for those who choose to upload their Hong Kong identity card copy for identity authentication, acknowledgement of registration, incomplete registration information and successful disbursement of consumption vouchers, etc. No website links will be provided in our SMS messages. Members of the public should stay alert to phishing emails and online scams, and should not click the website links provided in suspicious SMS messages.

Registrants may use the iAM Smart mobile app for authentication, and login the Consumption Voucher Scheme registration system through the app to do electronic registration. Other registrants may enter their Hong Kong Identity Card number and the date of issue in the registration system under the Scheme website. Registrants who had successfully registered and received payment/collected cheque under the Cash Payout Scheme ("CPS") before 18 June 2021 will be required by the system to enter the following registration information relating to the CPS for authentication:

1. last four digits of the registered telephone number; and
2. last five digits of the bank account number specified for receipt of payment (for payment through bank transfer); or the post office specified for collection of order cheque (for payment by order cheque).

Registrants whose identity has been verified need not enter again their personal information that they had provided under the CPS. They are only required to provide the related number of the stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers and make a declaration with regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement to complete registration.

Registrants who have not successfully received payment/collected cheque under the CPS or have failed to answer the security questions for authentication will be required by the system to enter the necessary information and make a declaration with regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement. An SMS message will be sent to the registrants via the designated telephone number (852 6059 1120) after a specified period of time, requesting them to upload a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards to the Scheme website as instructed to complete the registration procedure.

As the eligibility criteria of the Consumption Voucher Scheme differ from those of the CPS, and information regarding the stored value facility for receiving consumption vouchers has to be provided under the Scheme, eligible persons are required to register if they wish to receive consumption vouchers.

We have, through the Personal Information Collection Statement of the CPS Registration Form, sought the consent of members of the public to the reuse of their information by the Government for similar schemes launched in future. A database has also been developed to keep the relevant information. If a registrant who had successfully registered and received payment/collected cheque before 18 June 2021 under the CPS registers electronically without using iAM Smart for authentication, he/she will only be required to enter his/her Hong Kong Identity Card number and the date of issue, as well as the following registration information he/she provided under the CPS for authentication:

1. last four digits of the telephone number used for registration; and
2. last five digits of the bank account number specified for receipt of payment (for payment through bank transfer); or the post office for collection of order cheque (for payment by order cheque).

Registrants whose identity has been verified by the system need not enter their personal information again. They are only required to provide the related number of the stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers and make a declaration with regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement to complete registration.

A registrant may choose to use the iAM Smart mobile app for authentication, and then login the Consumption Voucher Scheme registration system through the app to do electronic registration. The registrant may also, after registering electronically, upload a copy of his/her Hong Kong identity card at the Scheme website after the specified period of time as indicated on the screen to complete the registration procedure. The system will also send an SMS notification via a designated telephone number (852 6059 1120) to remind the registrant.

Registrants should provide an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number for receiving notifications from the Government and its contractors regarding the Scheme (including SMS messages requesting the registrants who choose to use identity card copy for identity authentication to upload a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards to complete the registration process) as far as possible. Registrants who do not have a local mobile phone number may consider providing an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number of their trusted relatives or friends, so as to avoid any delay in processing or non-processing of their registration by the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat or relevant organisations due to the lack of means to contact them.

All eligible persons, including new arrivals and persons who have not successfully registered for the CPS, can register electronically. They may choose to use the iAM Smart app for authentication, and login the Consumption Voucher Scheme registration system to do electronic registration. They are only required to provide an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number and the related number of the stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers, and make a declaration with regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement to complete registration.

Registrants who do not have an iAM Smart account may choose to register electronically at the Scheme website and, according to the instruction appear on the screen, go to the Scheme website after a specified period of time and upload a copy of his/her Hong Kong identity card for verification of identity. The system will also send an SMS notifications via a designated telephone number (852 6059 1120) after a specified period of time to remind the registrant.

Eligible persons who do not have an iAM Smart account can still register electronically through the Scheme's website after having their identity authenticated by other means including answering security questions and uploading identity card copy (please refer to Question B20 for details of the relevant registration procedures).

Please visit the iAM Smart website (iAM Smart website) for details of registration for an iAM Smart/iAM Smart+ account.

Registrants who received payment or collected a cheque under the Cash Payout Scheme ("CPS") can authenticate their identity using the iAM Smart mobile app, and log in the registration system under the Scheme website through the app to do electronic registration even if they have forgotten the registration information they provided under the CPS and are thus unable to answer the security questions. They are only required to provide an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number and the related number of the stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers, and make a declaration with regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement to complete registration. The registration process is simple and convenient.

Other eligible registrants may also register electronically in the same way using the iAM Smart app for authentication if they have an iAM Smart account. There is no need for them to upload a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards for verification of identity.

We, through the Personal Information Collection Statement on the Consumption Voucher Scheme Registration Form, have sought the consent of members of the public to the reuse of their information by the Government for similar schemes launched in future. The data of successful registrants will be used for updating (if applicable) the information in the database developed for the Cash Payout Scheme earlier and be kept in the database. Registrants may submit a written request to the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat for updating or deleting their data kept in the Registration Database. If you would like to enquire for relevant issues, please send an email to enquiry@consumptionvoucher.gov.hk or by fax to 3106 0701.

The registration system of the Scheme is resided on the Government's private cloud platform. All data collected via the system are stored on the Government's private cloud and protected by multiple layers of defence to ensure information security. These include firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention system, anti-virus solutions, protection against distributed denial of service attacks and real-time monitoring tools. The Government had commissioned an independent third-party consultant to conduct an assessment of security risks and privacy protection before the registration system comes into operation.

Registrants may submit paper registration forms to register for receiving the consumption vouchers. They may download the registration form from the Scheme website (click here to download forms) or obtain from post offices, Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department, District Social Welfare Offices of the Social Welfare Department, and Public Housing Estate Offices and Customer Service Centre of the Hong Kong Housing Authority. Registrants may put their completed and signed forms as well as a copy of their valid Hong Kong identity cards (stapled together and folded in half) in the drop box at any post offices or designated banks. There is no need for them to submit the forms in person (click here to check the form collection locations).

The Government will send an acknowledgement of registration to the registrants through SMS to the telephone numbers provided by the registrants within five working days.

Registration forms may be downloaded from the Scheme's website (click here to download forms) from 28 June 2021 onwards. They are also obtainable from:

1. post offices (excluding mobile post offices);
2. Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department;
3. District Social Welfare Offices of the Social Welfare Department; and
4. Public Housing Estate Offices and Customer Service Centre of the Hong Kong Housing Authority.

Registrants only have to fill in the registration form by providing the required information, including their name, Hong Kong identity card number, local contact telephone number (please provide an SMS-enabled local mobile phone number for receiving notifications from the Government and its contractors regarding the Scheme) and the related number of the stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers, make a declaration with regard to the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement and sign it. They may put the completed registration forms as well as a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards (stapled together and folded in half) in the drop box at any post offices or designated bank branches. There is no need for them to submit the forms in person (click here for the form collection locations).

Registrants who choose to submit paper registration forms through the designated banks may simply put the forms in their dropboxes. They do not have to pay the banks any fees.

Except in cases where exemption has been granted to particular persons with special needs, submission of registration forms by post, fax, or scanned copies of the forms by email will not be accepted under the Scheme. Registrants must sign on the form and put their signed forms as well as well a copy of their Hong Kong identity cards (stapled together and folded in half) in the drop box at any post offices or designated bank branches (click here for the form collection locations).

While there is no restriction on the format for signing the registration form (including affixing fingerprints to the form as a signature), registrants are advised to sign the form using their usual signature.

Eligible persons may choose AlipayHK, Octopus, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK for receiving consumption vouchers.

Eligible persons may choose to receive consumption vouchers through Octopus Card (including electronic Octopus card), but first generation on-loan Octopus Card (those without brackets for the last digit of the card number) or temporary Octopus Card (e.g. Temporary Octopus Card with "Persons with Disabilities Status" or Temporary Student Octopus Card) are not accepted for registration for receiving consumption vouchers under the Scheme. If you are not sure how to differentiate various types of Octopus, please visit the Octopus website or call its enquiry hotline (click here for the contact).

The Scheme accepts the use of SVF account which has not been real-name registered by eligible persons for receiving consumption vouchers. However, registration by different registrants using the same SVF account is not allowed and all subsequent registration using the same account will be treated as duplicate registration and not be processed.

Due to the significant differences in technology and operation between Octopus and the other three SVFs (i.e. AlipayHK, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK), the use of Octopus card will differ from the use of the other three SVFs in respect of the way to collect consumption vouchers, number of instalments, amount disbursed in each instalment and validity period of the vouchers disbursed. As regards the scope of coverage, consumption vouchers received through the four SVFs are the same. Registrants may choose an SVF that suits their needs and using habits as appropriate.

To minimise disputes and prevent fraudulent acts, registrants are not allowed to switch to another SVF account for receiving consumption vouchers after registration unless under exceptional circumstances (e.g. loss or invalidation of the original SVF account). Their receiving of consumption vouchers may also be delayed. Members of the public should think carefully about which SVF and account to be used for receiving consumption vouchers before registering for the Scheme.

Registrants who choose to receive and use consumption vouchers through the four participating SVFs as selected by the Government need not pay the operators concerned any fees. As for how to use the various SVFs and the relevant terms and conditions, please visit the SVFs' websites or call their enquiry hotlines (click here for the contacts of SVFs).

No. Eligible registrants may only choose one SVF account for receiving consumption vouchers during registration.

No. To minimise disputes and prevent fraudulent acts, the same SVF account cannot be used by more than one registrant for registration for receiving consumption vouchers.

The first consumption voucher will be disbursed to the first batch of eligible registrants on 1 Aug 2021. There are slight differences in instalment arrangements for consumption vouchers to be received through different stored value facilities ("SVFs"). Details are as follows:

AlipayHK, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK

Octopus

Note: Individual registrants may take a longer time to have their cases processed. The first vouchers may be issued on 1 October or 1 November 2021, and the disbursement time of their second and third (if applicable) vouchers will be postponed accordingly.

The arrangements for collecting consumption vouchers through different SVFs and their respective validity periods are as follows (please refer to Question D1 for details of disbursement timetable):

After receiving the notification from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu ("DTT"), the contractor appointed by the Government, the registrant who has been selected for check should provide the required documents as soon as possible within the specified time, and DTT will complete the review as soon as possible. If it is confirmed that the registrant meets the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the scheme, we will try the best to disburse consumption vouchers to the registrant according to the original disbursement timetable for his/her registration completion time. However, in some individual cases, such as late submission of the required documents by the registrant or additional time is required for DTT to verify the documents, etc., the time for the registrant to receive the vouchers may be affected. We appeal to members of the public for their understanding.

Upon verification of the eligibility of a registrant, the Government will directly inject the consumption vouchers into the stored value facility ("SVF") account specified by the registrant via the SVF operator concerned on the disbursement date. To use the consumption vouchers, the registrant only needs to open the relevant SVF App.

If the registrant has enabled the Push Notification function in the App, the operator of the SVF that he/she has selected will send a push notification via the App to notify him/her that a consumption voucher has been disbursed to his/her account. Please check out details through the mobile apps, websites or enquiry hotlines of individual SVF operators (Click here for the contacts of SVF operators).

There are dedicated sections for the Consumption Voucher Scheme in the Apps of AlipayHK, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK. Registrants may go to the dedicated sections in those apps to use their consumption vouchers and check the relevant records, including the amount disbursed and used, available balance and expiry dates in respect of the vouchers collected. Please check out details through the mobile apps, websites or enquiry hotlines of individual SVF operators (Click here for the contacts of SVF operators).

People who have registered for receiving consumption vouchers through Octopus and have their eligibility confirmed by the Government may tap their cards to collect the vouchers through the following channels:

• Subsidy Collection Points of Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme at MTR stations, Light Rail Customer Service Centres, designated piers and public transport interchanges
• All outlets of 7-Eleven, Circle K and Wellcome supermarket (including Market Place, Market Place by Jasons, Jasons ichiba and 3hreesixty)
• Octopus Service Points
• Octopus mobile App (by tapping cards on mobile phones)
  • Android - NFC-enabled mobile devices
  • iOS - iPhone 7 or newer models with iOS 13 or above, or connected with an Octopus Mobile Reader
    *Those who have transferred their physical Octopus cards to Octopus card on Mobile (including Octopus on iPhone or Apple Watch, Huawei Pay Octopus or Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay) need not tap their cards

A person who chooses to collect consumption vouchers through a physical Octopus card but has not installed the Octopus mobile App may collect his/her consumption vouchers through the Octopus App installed on another person's mobile phone, and the value of his/her consumption vouchers will be stored in that Octopus card. The mobile phone used will not read or record the information of the concerned Octopus card.

People may use the stored value of his/her Octopus card for payment first and then tap and collect consumption vouchers when the balance of the stored value is below the limit. Regardless of the disbursement batch or instalment, the deadline for collection is 30 September 2022 (Note: The Government announced on 26 October 2021 that the deadline for collecting voucher by batches and instalments using Octopus cards has all been extended from three months after the disbursement date to 30 September 2022). Registrants may collect vouchers several times separately according to the stored value of the Octopus card until the total value of the consumption vouchers is collected.

People may check their records relating to consumption voucher by the following means:

• Octopus mobile App (can check transaction history for all Octopus cards registered under the App)
  • Android - NFC-enabled mobile devices
  • iOS - iPhone 7 or newer models with iOS 13 or above, or connected with an Octopus Mobile Reader
• Octopus website (voucher.octopus.com.hk)
• Customer service hotline: 2969 5500

People are not required to make purchases at these outlets for collecting the vouchers. They may simply tell the staff that they want to collect consumption vouchers and then tap their cards to collect them.

The order of collection depends on the sequence of disbursement dates of the public transport fare subsidy and consumption vouchers. People will collect the public transport fare subsidy or consumption vouchers which has been disbursed earlier. If both are disbursed on the same date, the public transport fare subsidy will be collected first.

The validity periods of the consumption vouchers received through different stored value facilities ("SVFs") are as follows:

In general, consumption vouchers can be used at local retail, catering and service outlets or their online platforms which accept payments by Alipay HK, Octopus, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK. Examples include retail shops, market stalls, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, fast food shops, coffee shops, recreational facilities, beauty salons, public transport, etc.

In principle, consumption vouchers cannot be used for the following transaction items*:

• payments to the Government (e.g. tax, fines, licence fees, tunnel fees, parking meters)
• payments to public utilities (i.e. water, electricity and gas)
• payments to public organisations (e.g. Hospital Authority, Hong Kong Housing Authority, Hong Kong Housing Society)
• education expenses (i.e. payments to primary and secondary schools providing local and non-local curriculum, and UGC-funded universities)
• purchase of financial products or services (e.g. insurance)
• donation (including charitable, religious and political organisations)
• direct purchases from merchants located outside Hong Kong (including online purchases through non-local online platforms made locally)
• person to person payments
• encashment

* Consumption vouchers received through AlipayHK, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK cannot be used for the above purposes. Octopus will not count such transactions in the calculation of the cumulative total "eligible spending".

For details of merchants which accept the use of consumption vouchers through the four stored value facilities ("SVFs"), please visit the SVF operators' websites or call their enquiry hotlines (click here for contacts of SVFs).

The coverage of consumption vouchers is extensive. Except for the transaction items set out in Question F2, consumption vouchers can be used at local retail, catering and service outlets or their online platforms which accept payments by the four stored value facilities ("SVFs") under the Scheme (namely AlipayHK, Octopus, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK). If you are not sure whether consumption vouchers can be used at a particular merchant, please contact the relevant SVF operator or the merchant (click here for the contacts of SVF operators).

It is not possible to provide a list of the merchants covered as there are tens of thousands of them. We can only set out the scope of coverage for consumption vouchers including the transaction items that are excluded. If you are not sure whether consumption vouchers can be used at a particular merchant, please contact the relevant stored value facility operator or the merchant direct (click here for contacts of SVFs).

Consumption vouchers cannot be used in specific transaction items under the Scheme (please refer to Question F2 for details). However, generally speaking, the coverage of consumption vouchers is extensive, including spending at merchants of local retail, catering and service sectors.

Consumption vouchers must be used at local retail, catering and service outlets, including their online platforms. Consumption vouchers cannot be used for direct purchases from merchants located outside Hong Kong (including online purchases through non-local online platforms made locally). The applicability of consumption vouchers to individual online platform depend on whether the platform is a local merchant, such as whether it has a Hong Kong business registration.

For the convenience of spending by public, consumption vouchers can be used for transport services which accept payments by the four stored value facilities under the Scheme, including the public transport services covered by the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme and taxis. The calculation of the subsidies under the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme will not be affected.

The purpose of the Scheme is to encourage and boost consumption, thereby accelerating economic recovery. The scope of coverage of consumption vouchers is also considerably extensive. It is believed that the public will respond to the call and use consumption vouchers for spending at local retail, catering and service sectors.

When people register for the Scheme, the relevant guidelines have clearly stated that consumption vouchers can only be used for local consumption and cannot be encashed or used for other purposes. Stored value facility operators will keep in view the transactions of merchants. If they suspect that individual merchants have act of irregularities, they will take follow-up actions, including blacklisting them so as to enable the Government to consider excluding them from the Scheme. If individual or businesses are involved in fraudulent or deception activities, depending on the facts and circumstances of the case, they may violate the law and we will refer the case to law enforcement agencies for follow-up.

During the Scheme period, the Octopus App will not allow transferring funds from the Octopus card registered for the Scheme to the Octopus Wallet, until the cumulative total 'eligible spending' of the concerned Octopus card has reached $5,000 (i.e. total amount disbursed by the three instalments of consumption vouchers).

Merchants can decide what payment methods to accept. However, if they accept payments through any of the four stored value facilities under the Scheme, they cannot reject the use of consumption vouchers through that facility.

Members of the public may approach the merchants concerned directly and enquire about whether consumption vouchers can be used to purchase their goods or services in instalments.

Each merchant has its own terms and conditions as well as arrangements for goods return or refund, and the goods purchased, in general, can be exchanged by mutual agreement. If a refund is to be made by mutual agreement after a transaction involving the use of a consumption voucher through AlipayHK, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK has been completed, the amount will be refunded to the consumption voucher of the customer concerned. Due to the difference in mode of operation, the refund arrangements for a transaction involving payment through Octopus will be decided through negotiation between the merchant and the customer concerned.

Each merchant has its own terms and conditions and arrangements for goods return or refund, and the goods purchased, in general, can be exchanged by mutual agreement. If a refund is to be made by mutual agreement after a transaction involving the use of a consumption voucher through AlipayHK, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK has been completed, the amount will be refunded to the consumption voucher of the customer concerned. A one-off special arrangement will be made by the stored value facility operators in the light of the validity periods of consumption vouchers. If a refund is made within one month after expiry of the consumption voucher used, the amount will be refunded to the customer concerned in the form of a new consumption voucher, which will be valid until the end of the following month.

We encourage businesses and the SVF operators concerned to organise promotional events so as to enhance the effectiveness of the consumption vouchers. The merchants may introduce special offers for users of consumption vouchers in the light of promotional events they organised. As to whether consumption vouchers can be used in conjunction with other promotional offers, it depends on the terms and restrictions imposed by different merchants or SVF operations on the promotional offers. Please contact the relevant merchants and SVF operators for details.

For registrants who receive consumption vouchers through Octopus card (including electronic Octopus card), the consumption vouchers disbursed will be directly stored in their Octopus cards in the form of stored value and the registrant concerned may collect the voucher by tapping their cards. When checking transaction records at Octopus enquiry machines/Octopus Service Points or those printed on receipts etc., one will see the amount of consumption voucher collected by tapping the cards being indicated as "Voucher Scheme" or "CVS". To use the consumption vouchers through Octopus, one only needs to, as usual, tap his/her Octopus card on the card reader of the merchant concerned or through the Octopus app make online payment using Octopus card. Transactions falling under the scope of coverage of the consumption voucher (please refer to Question F2 for details) will be counted in the calculation of cumulative total "eligible spending" for determining whether and when the eligible registrant concerned can receive the third $1,000 consumption voucher. For details on how to use the Octopus card, please visit the Octopus website or call its enquiry hotline (click here for contacts of SVFs).

For registrants who receive consumption vouchers through AlipayHK, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK, the amount of consumption vouchers disbursed will be separated from the existing e-wallets in their accounts, and they can choose whether to use the consumption vouchers when making payment. For details on how to use e-wallets and consumption vouchers, please visit the websites of individual stored value facilities operators or call their enquiry hotlines (click here for contacts of SVFs).

Most smartphones currently available in the market can be used to download and install the four SVFs selected under the Scheme. Those who do not have smartphones can collect and use the consumption vouchers through physical Octopus cards. For details on how to open SVF accounts and collect and use consumption vouchers through them, please visit the websites of individual SVF operators or call their enquiry hotlines (click here for contacts of SVFs).

If a registrant has lost an Octopus card that he/she used for a successful registration under the Scheme, he/she may visit the Government's dedicated website (please click here to enter) to change his/her registration record under the Scheme and use another Octopus card to receive the consumption vouchers that are not yet disbursed (if any), and transfer the "eligible spending" records from the lost card to the other Octopus card to facilitate collection of the third $1,000 consumption voucher (where applicable). The lost card will be invalidated.

As for the arrangement for reporting of lost card, please visit the website of Octopus Cards Limited or call its hotline (please click here for the contacts of SVF).

If a registrant has updated the registration record under the Scheme at the Government's dedicated website due to a lost or malfunctioning Octopus card (please refer to FAQ F18 for details), the unspent value in the lost or malfunctioned card (including the collected vouchers) will normally be transferred to the Octopus card in the updated registration record after verification [Note]. However, following the prevailing practice of Octopus Cards Limited in handling the loss of personalized Octopus card, the registrant concerned will be liable for the transaction amount that the Octopus card has been made (including the collected vouchers) within 3 hours after the registration record is successfully updated. For details, please visit the website of Octopus Card Limited or call its hotline (click here for contacts of SVF operators).

Note: If the lost or malfunctioned Octopus card is a bank co-brand Octopus card, Octopus Card Limited will refund the unspent value in the lost or malfunctioned card (including the collected vouchers) to the relevant card issuing institution after verification. The concerned card issuing institution will arrange the refund in accordance with its service agreement with the cardholder.

If a registrant has found an Octopus card that he/she used for a successful registration under the Scheme malfunctioning, he/she may visit the Government's dedicated website (please click here to enter) to change his/her registration record under the Scheme so as to receive the consumption vouchers that are not yet disbursed (if any) through another Octopus card and transfer the "eligible spending" records from the malfunctioning card to the other Octopus card to facilitate collection of the third $1,000 consumption voucher (where applicable). The malfunctioning card will be invalidated. It should be returned to the Octopus Cards Limited through an MTR Customer Service Centre. For details, please visit the website of Octopus Cards Limited or call its hotline (please click here for the contacts of SVF).

If a registrant has updated the registration record under the Scheme at the Government's dedicated website due to the malfunctioning of Octopus card (please refer to question F20 for details), the unspent value in the malfunctioning card (including the collected vouchers) will be transferred to the newly registered Octopus card after verification. For details, please visit the website of Octopus Card Limited or call its hotline (please click here for the contacts of SVF).

No. To avoid disputes and prevent frauds, registrants are not allowed to switch to another stored value facility ("SVF") account for collecting consumption vouchers after registration unless under exceptional circumstances (such as loss or malfunctioning of the original SVF account) . If a registrant, during the period of the Scheme, returns his/her normal functioning Octopus card which has been successfully registered for the Scheme in his/her own accord, he/she will not be able to get the consumption vouchers that are yet to be collected/disbursed through another Octopus card or other SVF.

If a bank co-brand Octopus card successfully registered under the Scheme needs renewal, the registrant may visit the Government's dedicated website (please click here to change his/her registration record under the Scheme so as to collect the consumption vouchers that are not yet disbursed (if any) through the new bank co-brand Octopus card or another Octopus card and transfer the "eligible spending" records from the expired card to the concerned Octopus card to facilitate collection of the third $1,000 consumption voucher (where applicable).

The "eligible spending" records can be transferred from the lost or malfunctioning card to the newly registered Octopus card if approval has been given to the registrant to relink the card registered under the Scheme due to the loss or malfunctioning of the original card. However, if a registrant returns, in his/her own accord, a normal functioning Octopus card that is successfully registered under the Scheme for a refund, the "eligible spending" records cannot be transferred from the returned card to another Octopus card.

Generally speaking, a person who has lost his/her phone/SIM card can relink his/her account by reinstalling the relevant SVF App on another phone and entering information in relation to his/her registered account, such as his/her login number and password. If he/she forgets his/her password and hence cannot log in his/her account, he/she may apply to have his/her password reset. Please check out details through the mobile apps, websites or enquiry hotlines of individual SVF operators (click here for the contacts of SVFs).

If a registrant discovers fraudulent use of the SVF that he/she used for registration under the Scheme, he/she should call the Police for assistance as soon as possible, inform the SVF operator concerned of the case and request to freeze his/her account by the following means:

• call 2969 5500

• call 2245 3201; or
• visit (www.alipayhk.com/en/support/freeze-account) to freeze the account yourself

• call 2888 0000

• call 3929 1666

If a registrant has disagreement to his/her registration result, he/she may make a review application within 14 days after the receipt of the SMS notification. He/she should complete an Application Form for Review (CVS-REVIEW) and send it together with a copy of the notification and other relevant documents to the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat in person, by fax (fax number: 3106 0701), by email (cs@consumptionvoucher.gov.hk) or by post (GPO P.O. Box 185000, Hong Kong). Late applications for review will not be accepted unless with justifications.

A registrant or an agent who has registered on behalf of a registrant under the Scheme may seek a review of the registrant's eligibility.

Upon receipt of an application for review, the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat will acknowledge receipt of it and review the case. Where necessary, the Secretariat may contact the applicant by letter or email to obtain further information or contact the applicant via a designated telephone number (3852 7500). Depending on the merits of the case, the Secretariat may consult the relevant Government bureaux and departments. The Secretariat may, after reviewing the case, uphold or vary the original decision, and the applicant will be notified in writing of the result of the review, the follow-up action taken and his/her right to appeal (where applicable).

The Secretariat will normally notify the applicant of the result of the review in writing within six weeks after receipt of his/her application for review and relevant documents. If it is not possible to complete the review within that time frame, the Secretariat will, after issuing an interim reply, notify the applicant of the result of the review as soon as possible.

If an applicant is not satisfied with the result of the review by the Secretariat, he/she may lodge an application for appeal to the Consumption Voucher Scheme Appeal Board within 14 days after receipt of the result of the review (click here for the membership of the Consumption Voucher Scheme Appeal Board).

For details of the review and appeal procedures, please call the Scheme's hotline (telephone number: 185000).

Any local retail, catering and service outlets who accept payments through any of the four stored value facilities under the Scheme can accept the use of consumption vouchers and benefit from the Scheme, except for purchases which fall under the transaction items where consumption vouchers cannot be used (please refer to Question F2 for details). There is no need for merchants to register with the Government.

The major reason why consumption vouchers cannot be used at the stores of individual merchants is that the purchases involved fall under the transaction items where consumption vouchers cannot be used (please refer to Question F2 for details) or no relevant stored value facilities ("SVFs") devices are installed at the stores concerned. The merchants may contact the relevant SVF operators for enquiries. To avoid disputes, merchants should make things clear to their customers and let them decide whether to continue the transactions before they make payment.

We encourage businesses to organise various promotional events during the implementation of the Scheme so as to enhance the effectiveness of the consumption vouchers.

Local merchants who have not yet installed electronic payment systems but are interested in participating in the Scheme are encouraged to contact the operators concerned to make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible (click here for contacts of SVFs).

In general, local retail, catering and service outlets which accept payment through the four participating stored value facilities ("SVFs") can accept the use of consumption vouchers whether at their physical outlets or online platforms, except for purchases which fall under the transaction items where consumption vouchers cannot be used (please refer to Question F2 for details). Individual merchants who have doubts should contact the relevant SVF operators (click here for contacts of SVFs).

To attract more merchants to join the Scheme, the SVF operators have agreed to waive, as far as practicable, fees for the installation and use of payment devices by local merchants (particularly small and medium enterprises), as well as administrative fees for handling payments made with consumption vouchers. If the merchants apply directly to the SVF operators for payment codes or simpler devices instead of applying through a third party supplier, no installation fee will be charged. In addition, the SVF operators have also undertaken to rebate the additional income generated from the consumption vouchers to merchants or consumers by different means. For details of the promotional offers from the SVFs, please contact the respective operators (click here for contacts of SVFs).

Merchants have to sign contracts with the operators concerned before using the relevant SVFs. If they decide to discontinue the use of such payment systems, such will be handled according to the terms of the contracts signed. Merchants are encouraged to continue the use of the electronic payment systems installed after the Scheme has ended, so as to grasp the business opportunities arising from and enjoy the convenience brought by the development of electronic payment.

The Government will make special arrangements for eligible persons who are mentally incapacitated or mentally unfit to make a statement and thus unable to go through the registration process.

If such persons are receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or Social Security Allowance payments, their legal guardians, appointees or agents may register for the Scheme and receive consumption vouchers on their behalf. The Social Welfare Department will send specific letters by post to these guardians, appointees or agents, who only need to sign the letter and mail it back to GPO P.O. Box 180005, Hong Kong (no postage stamp is required if posted in Hong Kong). After the eligibility of the mentally incapacitated persons is confirmed, the guardians, appointees or agents will receive consumption vouchers on their behalf through the specified stored value facility accounts. These legal guardians, appointees or agents must undertake to administer and use the consumption vouchers disbursed for the benefit of the mentally incapacitated persons.

As for mentally incapacitated persons who do not fall into the above categories, their relatives may, in the light of actual circumstances and needs, register for the Scheme and receive consumption vouchers on their behalf as agents. The agent must fill in the specified form D, attach a copy of the mentally incapacitated registrant's Hong Kong identity card or Certificate of Exemption ("EC") to it, staple the completed specified form and the copy of the registrant's proof of identity together and fold them in half, and put them in the drop box at any post offices or designated bank branches. The Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat will call the agent using a designated telephone number (3852 7500) and arrange an interview after receiving the registration form. Upon receipt of the phone notification, the agent must visit the Secretariat (address: 17/F, Pioneer Centre, 750 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon) to complete the registration procedures in person and produce the following documents for verification by the staff of the Secretariat:

1. the Hong Kong identity card of the agent;
2. the original and a copy of documentary proof of the relationship between the mentally incapacitated registrant and the agent (e.g. marriage certificate or birth certificate);
3. documentary proof certifying that the registrant concerned is mentally incapacitated and unfit to complete the registration procedures, such as:
   • medical certificate issued by a local registered medical practitioner (the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat will also, in the light of the circumstances of individual cases, consider accepting other supporting documents, including medical certificate issued by an overseas or Mainland registered medical practitioner). For medical certificates, only those issued within one year before the commencement date of the Scheme (i.e. 18 June 2021) will be considered valid (except for persons who are permanently mentally incapacitated)
   • guardianship order issued by the Guardianship Board
   • court order stating that the registrant concerned is incapable of managing his/her property and affairs by reason of mental incapacity
   • record of residence in a local mental hospital (e.g. discharge slip/follow-up card or bill for hospital fee) of the registrant
4. proof of the agent's current address in Hong Kong (e.g. water bill or bank statement of the recent three months); and
5. a specified registration form (Form D) duly completed and signed.

If the same agent had received payment on behalf of the registrant under the Cash Payout Scheme, he/she does not have to attend an interview and provide the above-mentioned documentary proof.

The agent must undertake that the consumption vouchers disbursed to the registrant by the Government under the Scheme will be collected and used on behalf of the mentally incapacitated registrant for the benefit of the registrant. The agent must also undertake to notify the Government forthwith of any extra consumption vouchers received on behalf of the registrant under the Scheme and return any extra vouchers as certified by the Government, as well as indemnify the Government against all possible claims from other parties in relation to the vouchers that he/she has received on behalf of the registrant under the Scheme.

The agent may visit the Scheme's website, call 185000 or visit the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department to download or obtain the specified registration form (Form D).

To minimise disputes and the risk of fraudulent use of another person's personal data, eligible persons are requested to register and specify a stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers themselves as far as possible. They should only ask their trusted ones for assistance if necessary. For individual persons with special needs, we will offer assistance having regard to their circumstances, such as allowing them to register and receive consumption vouchers through a specified agent.

If eligible persons holding an EC can complete the registration procedures on their own, they can receive consumption vouchers through their specified stored value facility accounts like other registrants. They need to fill in a specified registration form (Form E) and send it together with a copy of their ECs by post to the "Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat, GPO P.O. Box 185000, Hong Kong". No postage stamp is required if posted in Hong Kong. They may visit the Scheme's website, call 185000 or visit the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department to download or obtain the specified registration form (Form E).

Prisoners who meet the relevant eligibility criteria may register for the Scheme and receive consumption vouchers. They may fill in a specified registration form (Form C), which can be obtained through the Correctional Services Department. Consumption vouchers will be disbursed to their specified stored value facility accounts upon confirmation of their eligibility.

Any person who meets the relevant eligibility criteria can register for the Scheme and receive consumption vouchers through his/her specified stored value facility account. If individual eligible persons have difficulty in registering for the Scheme, they or their family members may call the Scheme's enquiry hotline. We will make every effort to provide assistance.

Those who have been absent from Hong Kong continuously for the 24 months immediately before 18 June 2021 but were recipients of the Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, Guangdong Scheme and Fujian Scheme during the period are considered as having complied with the "residing in Hong Kong" requirement under the Scheme. They may register for the disbursement of consumption vouchers as long as they fulfill the requirements of age and proof of identity under the Scheme. Like other eligible persons, they may register through the Scheme website or by filling in a paper registration form and receive consumption vouchers through their specified stored value facility accounts.

Various means of registration are provided to members of the public under the Scheme. We will also discuss with the Social Welfare Department, as we have done when implementing the Cash Payout Scheme, appropriate measures to provide assistance to persons with special needs where necessary. Those without smartphones may choose to receive and use consumption vouchers through their Octopus cards.

Registrants need to provide the following information on the registration form (including electronic registration conducted online or submission of paper registration form):

1. English name;
2. Chinese name (optional);
3. Hong Kong identity card number;
4. date of issue of the Hong Kong identity card;
5. SMS-enabled local mobile phone number; and
6. related number of the stored value facility account for receiving consumption vouchers.

While collecting the information for the purpose of disbursing consumption vouchers under the Scheme, we will seek the consent of members of the public to the keeping of their information by the Government through the Personal Information Collection Statement on the Consumption Voucher Scheme Registration Form (including electronic registration), as we have done when implementing the Cash Payout Scheme. This will enable the Government to use their personal information for similar schemes launched in future which are aimed at, amongst others, encouraging local consumption, relieving people's financial burden, and/or returning wealth to the people. It is hoped that such an arrangement will help enhancing the efficiency in implementing such schemes and bring greater convenience to the public. Without the prior consent of registrants, the Government will not use the information collected under the Scheme for purposes other than those mentioned above. Members of the public who do not wish to have their registration information kept by the Government for future use may make a request to the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat. Please refer to Question B28 for the relevant procedures.

After the registration period, registrants may submit a written request to the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat for updating the data kept in the database.

The Government will handle with caution the personal data of registrants in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Moreover, the computer systems for and the process of handling registration and disbursement of consumption vouchers, as well as the arrangements for data keeping, have passed the privacy impact assessment conducted by an independent consultant, thus ensuring that the business flow and related system design of the Scheme are in compliance with statutory requirements. Unless registrants express disagreement, the Government will keep the data collected under the Scheme for use when launching similar schemes in future. The relevant data will be kept for seven years (except paper forms including copy of the Hong Kong identity card which will be kept for one year), after which a review will be conducted.

The Scheme aims at stimulating consumer sentiment and energising the local consumption market. It is hoped that the money disbursed in the form of consumption vouchers will circulate in the local economy and boost local consumption to the fullest extent, thereby accelerating economic recovery with its multiplier effect. The launch of the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app is an anti-epidemic measure, providing users with a convenient digital tool to record the time of their visits to different venues and taxi rides. It has no direct relationship with the Scheme. Nevertheless, when people use consumption vouchers at shops and restaurants, they should, of course, pay attention to the latest anti-epidemic arrangements as announced by the Government. For instance, customers may be required to use the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app before entering certain premises.

The Government will handle with caution the personal data of registrants in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. The computer systems for and the process of handling registration and disbursement of consumption vouchers will be in compliance with statutory requirements. The Personal Information Collection Statement on registration forms also sets out the purpose of collecting the data and that the Government will not use such data for other purposes without the prior consent of registrants.

All computer systems and equipment supporting the implementation of the Scheme, including the computer systems and the operational process developed by the four participating SVF operators for the Scheme and those of the outsourced contractor responsible for handling registration forms, have to pass the privacy impact assessment conducted by an independent consultant, so as to ensure that the business flow and related system design for handling registration are in compliance with statutory requirements, thus protecting the personal data of registrants.

The Government and the relevant organisations (including the four participating SVF operators) will handle with caution the personal data of registrants in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

To protect the personal data of registrants and prevent fraudulent acts, the staff of the Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat are not allowed to amend for the registrants the information provided on their registration forms. Neither will they call registrants to obtain information relating to their registration, including but not limited to the related number of the stored value facilities account and information on Hong Kong identity cards. The Secretariat and the contractors it engages will only contact registrants via the designated telephone number (3852 7500 or 2852 1009). Members of the public who have doubts about the authenticity of calls may call the Scheme’s hotline 185000 for verification.

Members of the public should always be mindful of the need to protect their personal data. Sensitive personal data such as Hong Kong identity card numbers and their dates of issue should not be casually revealed to a third party. One should only ask his/her trusted ones, such as family members or relatives/friends, to help them register for the Scheme if necessary. Paper registration forms must be signed by registrants, and not by any other person on their behalf.

Members of the public should always be mindful of the need to handle their personal data with care. They should note the following if NGOs or other persons offer to help them register for the Scheme:

1. Understand the purpose of data collection by the NGO or the person concerned and whether the data will be transferred to parties and persons other than the Government (including its contractors and agents). If the NGO or the person concerned indicates that such data will be used for purposes other than registration for the Scheme, the registrant should seriously consider if he/she agrees to the use of the data for those additional purposes before providing them to that NGO/person.
2. Do not provide excessive personal data. If registrants are asked to provide more data than are required for registration under the Scheme, they should ask for an explanation.
3. Keep a record of the name and contact information of the person collecting the data and the name of the NGO that he/she represents.

Before an NGO collects personal data from registrants and help them register for the Scheme, it needs to obtain the consent of the registrants and ensure that the purpose of collecting the data is directly related to its function or activity. Registrants should be explicitly informed of the aim and purpose of data collection and where their personal data will be transferred to. The NGO concerned should also provide necessary details about the organisation and the contact person(s) whom the registrants may approach for enquiries. If the sole purpose of collection of personal data is to assist the registrants in registering for the Scheme, the NGO concerned should not collect more data than are required under the Scheme. The NGO should also avoid bundling the purposes of registration under the Scheme with other purposes of collecting the data.

While the NGO is holding a registrant's personal data, it is required to take all practicable steps to ensure that the data are protected against unauthorised or accidental access, processing, erasure, loss or other use. Unless the NGO has obtained the registrant's explicit and voluntary consent, his/her personal data should only be used for the specified purpose or a purpose directly related to that purpose. When the personal data collected are no longer required, the NGO should safely and completely erase them.

Members of the public who meet the eligibility criteria may register for the Scheme. Eligible persons who are outside Hong Kong during the registration period may register electronically through the Scheme website. The consumption vouchers received must be used for purchases at physical outlets or online shops operated by local merchants. Please refer to Question B1 for details of the registration procedures.

Any person who meets the relevant eligibility criteria may register for the Scheme.

Under the Bankruptcy Ordinance, an undischarged bankrupt shall report on a regular basis to his/her trustee details of any property he/she acquired during the bankruptcy period, and the trustee may by notice in writing claim for that property.

For bankruptcy cases in which the Official Receiver ("ORO") acts as the trustee, an undischarged bankrupt shall notify the OR in respect of the consumption vouchers he/she has received under the Scheme for the OR to decide whether to make a claim or not. For enquiries, a bankrupt should contact the responsible case officer of the ORO direct by:

1. clicking "Contact Us" and searching for the officer concerned under "Contact Responsible Case Officers" on the ORO's website; or
2. calling the ORO hotline 2867 2448.

For other cases where the OR is not the trustee, it is up to individual trustees to decide how to deal with the disbursement. An undischarged bankrupt should contact his/her trustee direct.

Under the Inland Revenue Ordinance, only income or profits derived from an office or employment or from carrying on a business or letting of premises are subject to tax. The consumption vouchers received under the Scheme are not income or profits as defined above, and are therefore not subject to tax.

Having regard to the objectives of the Scheme, the Social Welfare Department has agreed that the consumption vouchers received under the Scheme by CSSA and OALA recipients will not be counted as income. Such vouchers will also not be counted as their assets for 12 months from the date of receipt.

Having regard to the objectives of the Scheme, the HD has agreed that the consumption vouchers received under the Scheme will not be counted as income and assets when the recipients apply to the HD for public housing or under the well-off tenant policy of the Hong Kong Housing Authority.

For calculation of income and assets when applying to the HD for public rental housing, please contact the Applications Sub-section of the HD.

Enquiries about whether the consumption vouchers received under the Scheme will be counted as the recipients' assets under other government assistance schemes should be made to the departments concerned.

Eligible persons must register for the Scheme in order to receive consumption vouchers. Consumption vouchers will not be disbursed to an eligible person who passes away before registration, and the family members of the deceased cannot register for the Scheme and receive consumption vouchers on his/her behalf.

Consumption vouchers will not be disbursed to an eligible person who passes away after successful registration, and the family members of the deceased cannot receive consumption vouchers on his/her behalf. In cases where an eligible person passes away after receiving consumption vouchers, while the vouchers already received or used need not be returned, any remaining vouchers that are not yet disbursed will not be disbursed to him/her. If an eligible person is found to have passed away before receiving consumption vouchers, the vouchers disbursed will be void.