Hong Kong Certificate of Identity Hong Kong Certificate of Identity The Hong Kong Certificate of Identity (CI; ) was a formal travel document and passport, issued by the Hong Kong Government's Immigration Department until June 30, 1997 (See transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong). It is no longer possible to possess a valid CI as a travel document, as all CIs have expired by 30 June 2007, though most CI holders should be eligible to hold the HKSAR Passport. Certificates of Identity were issued to Hong Kong permanent residents who did not hold and could not obtain any valid travel documents for overseas travel.
British nationality law and Hong Kong British nationality law and Hong Kong British nationality law as it pertains to Hong Kong has been unusual ever since Hong Kong became a British colony in 1842. From its beginning as a sparsely populated trading port to today's cosmopolitan international financial centre of over seven million people, the territory has attracted refugees, immigrants and expatriates alike searching for a new life. Citizenship matters were complicated by the fact that British nationality law treated those born in :Hong Kong as British subjects (although they did not enjoy full rights and citizenship), while the People's Republic of China did not recognise