Identification Services Bureau (DSI) acting director Lo Pin Heng said yesterday that in response to the “significant increase” in the demand for identity card renewals and travel document applications recently, from today through March 31 the three DSI offices – China Plaza on Avenida da Praia Grande as well as the Government Service Centres in Areia Preta and Taipa – will open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. every day, providing “continuous counter services” seven days a week for first-time or renewal applications for identity cards, travel documents and visit permit to Hong Kong by appointment via the government’s “Macao One Account” or DSI website.

Lo added that DSI staff members will also be stationed at six 24-hour self-service areas from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily to assist residents in going through application procedures more efficiently.

Details and locations of the city’s 10 DSI 24-hour self-service kiosks can be found at www.dsi.gov.mo/kiosk_e.jsp.

Lo said as many self-service kiosks have deteriorated due to attrition, her bureau was looking for new-style service machines with scanners, camera lenses and ambient lighting settings.

Lo made the remarks during a press conference at the bureau’s multi-purpose room in China Plaza.

According to DSI statistics, Lo said about 30,000 identity cards and 120,000 travel documents have expired and need to be renewed, adding that despite having reallocated its human resources, their workload has increased by 30 percent.

Lo underlined that during the extended service hours, on-site ticketing will not be provided, but residents can still collect documents without an appointment.

Through the temporary arrangement, Lo said, the bureau’s additional service hours will be increased by 39 hours per week, while the number of service applications that can be processed would be increased from 3,500 to 7,200 per week, adding that in order to ensure adequate staff numbers to cope with the extra workload, 60 Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) officials will be seconded to her bureau to assist at the frontline counters and with internal operations.

Lo said she believed that the arrangement would be able to handle residents’ identity card renewals and travel document applications in the short term, pointing out that the current online appointments can be processed as soon as next week.

Lo urged the public to use their “Macao One Account” or self-service kiosks as a priority to submit their applications, adding that residents who choose to use the bureau’s conventional counter service during normal service hours should make appointments in advance.

Enquiries can be made by calling 2837 0777 or 2837 0888 during office hours, or by emailing info@dsi.gov.mo. 

Cheong Pui Kuan (from left to right), who heads the Identification Services Bureau’s (DSI) Service Management Division, DSI acting director Lo Pin Heng, and General Affairs Department Chief Van Kit Lam address yesterday’s press conference at China Plaza in Avenida da Praia Grande.
– Photo: Yuki Lei