Hong Kong

Hong Kong is the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong has a crime victim compensation program to provide financial compensation for victims of violent crime.

Eligibility Requirements

Report to police. Yes, without unreasonable delay.

Filing period. Within 3 years from the date of the crime.

Foreign citizen eligibility. Foreign nationals, including tourists, who have the proper visa to stay in Hong Kong and who are not in contravention of a limit of stay (if any) against them at the time of the crime are eligible to apply.

Claimants

Procedures

Application forms can be obtained from the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Board, police stations, district offices of the Home Affairs Department, medical social services units, and Social Security Field Units of the Social Welfare Department. Applications are also available online. When the criminal incident, as stated by the victim or applicant, has been confirmed by the police, the application will be processed and a decision will be made about whether compensation is payable. The applicant will be notified in writing of the board's decision.

Benefits and Award Limits

The levels of compensation for criminal injuries are based on the Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) scale and subject to regular revision. The maximum awards are-

Emergency awards. Not applicable.

Funding sources. The program is funded by the government of Hong Kong.

Contact Information

Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Section, Social Welfare Department
Room 703, 7/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2838-6079, 2892-5220, 2892-5222, or 2892-5223
Fax: (852) 2575-7938
E-mail: grcleic@swd.gov.hk
Internet: www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_criminalan/

Languages used—
• On application forms: English, Chinese
• In correspondence: English, Chinese
• By telephone: English, Cantonese

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