Hong Kong Government announced the details of the 2022 (Phase II) Consumption Voucher Scheme (the Scheme).
Existing registrants (i.e. people who have received HK$5,000 vouchers under Phase I in April this year) who do not want to change the stored value facilities (SVFs) under Phase II or amend other registration records are not required to go through any procedure. The Government will make use of their existing registration records for eligibility checking and will notify them of the result through SMS notifications in end of July. They will receive consumption vouchers with a total value of HK$5,000 in installments starting from August 7 (Sunday) after their eligibility has been confirmed.
For existing registrants who want to change their SVF or other registration records, and other eligible persons who have not registered before, they may complete the relevant procedures through the electronic registration portal on the Scheme website (www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk) during the registration period (June 23 (Thursday) to July 23 (Saturday), 2022) which lasts for about a month. They will receive the results through SMS notifications about one week after submitting the registration.
The new eligibility criteria and the total value of vouchers to be received by different categories of new eligible registrants are set out at Annex I. Depending on the categories of the eligible persons, they will be disbursed with HK$10,000 or HK$5,000 electronic consumption vouchers in installments starting from August 7 (Sunday) upon confirmation of their eligibility. The Scheme has included additional non-permanent residents as eligible persons, including people who have come to live in Hong Kong through different admission schemes for talents, professionals, and entrepreneurs, and to study in Hong Kong. These people will receive the vouchers at half value (i.e. HK$5,000) if they are eligible under the Scheme. We anticipate that over 300,000 people will be benefited.
The Financial Secretary, Paul Chan said, "With reference to the experience of last year's Consumption Voucher Scheme, the vouchers under Phase II will be disbursed by installments. All existing and new registrants will receive the first voucher together on August 7 after their eligibility have been confirmed. We hope that disbursing vouchers after the epidemic situation has been stabilized will inject impetus into the market and extend the stimulating effect on local consumption, thereby accelerating economic recovery, and at the same time further consolidating the habit of merchants and people in using electronic payment and facilitate the development of the digital economy."
To help the people in need, the Government will set up eight temporary service centers in different districts in Hong Kong during the registration period to assist them to do registration. People may call the hotline 18 5000 to make reservations. The addresses and opening hours of the service centers are at Annex II.
The Government announced earlier the selection of six SVFs including AlipayHK, BoC Pay, Octopus, PayMe from HSBC, Tap & Go, and WeChat Pay HK to disburse vouchers under Phase II. Eligible persons may consider and choose the facilities which suit their needs to receive the vouchers throughout the about one-month registration period.
The voucher disbursement timetable of AlipayHK, BoC Pay, PayMe from HSBC, Tap & Go, and WeChat Pay HK, and that of Octopus are at Annexes III and IV respectively.
The method of collecting vouchers by different SVFs and the coverage of consumption vouchers will follow the same arrangement as in previous Consumption Voucher Schemes. People may browse the website of the Scheme at www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk or call the hotline 18 5000 to obtain detailed information.
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