If you're in HK and need consular assistance this is obviously your only option. It's conveniently…read morelocated a short walk from Admiralty. If you Uber or take a taxi they will drop you off across the street. Security is worse than TSA. No liquids and no cell phones. They will confiscate your phone and give you a claim check. Inside is basically like a prison. The staff composed of locals and Americans is behind plexiglass. Windows have bars. Anything remotely complicated you will first be assisted by locals who will then work on your issue before sending you to Americans who will complete whatever you need done. The workers are fairly efficient and friendly.

First of all, God Bless America - let freedom ring!…read more Second, we needed to take care of formalities for our newborn son- getting his US passport and social security number. As with any US government agency, one must exercise patience and make sure they have all their ducks in a row (fill out the forms in its entirety; provide all the correct documents for evidence) to ensure that the appointment goes smoothly. Even though our appointment fell on a rainy morning in the middle of a typhoon, being a US citizen has its perks- we get a shorter line at the entrance (compared to the visa line for non-citizens) and our service was processed indoors. Security is very high here (you know how we Americans are about national security) and you can't bring your mobile phone inside the Consulate. You'll have to leave it at the entrance with a guard and pick it up on your way out. Checking in was quite simple; you pay for your service then wait for your name to be called at one of the windows. The staff was very nice and sympathetic to us (bringing your fussy newborn in a carrier in pouring down rain is no easy feat!) and highlighted anything missing in our application that we needed to fill out. Meeting with the consul went smoothly as well; he gave us no problems, took our oath that we filled out the forms truthfully, and gave us all the information we needed for the next steps. The passport processing time for our case was quoted at 3-4 weeks, while social security is 3-4 months. Son, you're well on your way to becoming an official US citizen... enjoy that global taxation! ;)

I took the MTR to travel from North Point to Wanchai . We sat in the park class by to rest and…read moreenjoyed the beautiful sky and sunshine . Outside temperate was 55 F . Proven cold for HK people but perfect for me . This WanChai tower is a government building . One of the main office is to fill in the application for a new Hong Kong ID . Beside local HK citizens, there were Indians , Caucasian, Asians from other parts of the world . It is recommended to make an appointment to avoid long wait . All the staffs were well trained , efficient , good manner and patient. It could be good example for other government staffs in other cities . They are so efficient and polite even it was very busy . I am so impressed and this was a totally wonderful experience.

Well, it's been almost three years and I am finally being brave enough to get my Hong Kong drivers…read morelicense; it might take me another three before I'm brave enough to use it, but that's another story. The process is actually pretty simple. Print off a form and show up at the office in Queensway with your original license, passport and Hong Kong ID card. I made sure I was at the office by 10am (the opening hours stated online, but they actually open at 9) and the queues weren't bad - although there were audible sighs of relief when the lady crazy enough to bring a stroller to the queue whipped out an iPad and shamelessly used Frozen to keep the baby in it quiet. I did have to wait about half an hour, but that was partially due to standing in the wrong queue. Now, going back to collect the actual document, it makes sense, but the sign "first issue of HK licence" seemed completely applicable to the act of applying for one (I'd read and re-read it multiple times to make sure and I thought I had a reasonable grasp of the English language). So, tip for new players, ask at the information desk before joining a queue and save yourself some time.

Queues, queues and more queues. That's about the only way you could describe this place. On the…read moreoccasions that I have been here, whether you are trying to apply for a license, renew a license, transfer vehicle ownership papers or registration mark ; it has always involved an hour of heel killing and neck hurting (from spending too much time on my phone) wait. To the uninitiated you really don't know which queue to follow as well- almost all of them seem to do the same thing (blame the government for having so many similarly named forms). However, as much as you may like to hate this place- it is convenient. If you work on HK island then this is probably the only place that you could go to during working hours that could handle everything (notably the international driving license). Given that government offices rarely open outside of office hours this is the only choice you have and I'm afraid you just have to bear with it. The staff are not to blame in that sense, I can see that they try their best to accommodate the masses of people who come through. Language wise they have to deal with all sorts of nationalities hence you can't expect too much if you don't speak English. I would say that you will need to leave a good hour clear in your diary if you were to do anything there as it will almost always involve an application stage and a payment stage; both of which involving more lines. Its the government- what else do you expect?

Came here (obviously) for Visa application. I have been here before so it was relatively easy to…read morefind. From the ferry you enter Star House and turn left, walk all the way to the end and take the lifts at the end to 12/F. The consulate will be directly on your left when you walk out the lift. Things you need to bring for a Visa application (if you hold a BNO or HKSAR passport): - Application form (they have it at their office, but you can print your own from the website below) - Recent passport photo (4cm x 6cm or larger so they can cut it up) - Photocopy of your passport - Original passport for their verification/reference - Cash (Tourist Visa is HK$290 and business is HK$360, make sure you have cash because they don't take credit card) I think most people will find it difficult to visit their office given they operate short hours within working hours. The good news is that anybody can hand-in the application for you as long as they have all of the above (especially the original passport), no authorization/delegation form is necessary. The process will be quite short and painless if you have everything I've just mentioned. Given no line-ups (there usually are none), the process shouldn't take anymore than 5 minutes. The official website is a mess; HKTDC has a much more organized website: http://hong-kong-economy-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/Visa-On-Demand/Cambodia-Visa-on-Demand/vod/en/1/1X000000/1X007HXO.htm

Well, everything in the process of getting 5 visas on the spot in 10' for my family went well…read moreEXCEPT that they tried to charge me adult fares for 2 kids under 12. Luckily their visas mention "gratis" in english at the top of the visa stamp/sticker. I came back to the counter and asked why they charged me nearly HKD 600 for 2 kids' visa earmarked as "gratis". Without an additional word (nor disagreement nor apology), I was refunded in cash immediately. Absent mindedness or corruption? Either way, caution is in order there...

Opened in 1989, it connects Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling, Kowloon…read more Toll is HK$25.00 for private cars, this is one of 3 cross harbour tunnels that connects Hong Kong Island to the Kowloon Peninsular. My personal preference when travelling to Kowloon is to take the Eastern Cross Harbour Tunnel as the Cross Harbour Tunnel ( connecting Causeway Bay to Hung Hom ), is super congested, waiting time usually can be 15 or 30 mins. Of course, during peak hours most tunnels will also be congested but still ECHT is more bearable!

Great immigration service in this spot Every staff was…read morehelpful and friendly They made my day Thanks again

I don't know why anyone would give this escalator anything but 5 stars. It's free to use and it's…read morean option. If you don't want to use it, then don't. Have you ever tried to get up to the top of this part of Central by foot? Thank goodness for the escalator. The escalator isn't one giant continuous thing of course. There are breaks so you can get off at convenient points, like Vission bakery.

A lifeline for commuters, a perpetual filming location, and a popular free activity for tourists,…read morethe Central-Mid-Levels escalator is the longest (covered) outdoor escalator system in the world. It's also one of my favorite places to get away from the urban hustle and bustle of Central and a great way to people watch while admiring the city. After debuting 30 years ago, the escalator has recently been undergoing renovations to meet the demand that seemingly grows each year. There are 18 escalators in total, with moving walkways that are at a slight incline. From start to finish, it's about 20 minutes and covers just about 2,600 ft with a vertical climb of 443 ft. On the outside it looks like a one-way continuous escalator, but there are multiple bisections where folks can join in from different streets or hop off along the way. The most important thing to note is that the escalators run downhill in the mornings between 6AM-10AM and then uphill from then till midnight. One serious drag is that it's not wheelchair accessible, and has stairs for people to pass or reverse direction. There are several stops along the way, which are connected to bars, restaurants, and attractions. It's always recommended to stand on the right to let folks on the right pass. It's not uncommon to see sections of it closed for maintenance and it's a great way to stay out of inclement weather.

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has been around for more than 66 years and provides…read moreassistance to Filipino nationals living in Hong Kong. Within its time here in Hong Kong, it has changed location for more than 8 times. In 1999, when I was eight years old, it moved to its permanent location on the 14th floor of United Centre. The Consulate enjoys the liberty of taking the day off both on Philippine and Hong Kong holidays. I've been going here for as I can remember, mainly to renew my passport or accompany other family members to do the same. Legal Philippine documents can also be applied here. As the majority of Filipinos in Hong Kong consists of domestic helpers, it forms the larger crowd here especially during Sunday. Scratch that, it is busy every day that it is open, regardless of time. But it does help to arrive early as the crowd only begins to gather an hour after they open. Thankfully, I've never tried using the Consulate's assistance in criminal and social welfare cases, but it's good to know that it is there when I could possibly need it. Renewing passports isn't that easy as there are four (sometimes three) long lines to follow, but at least it's streamlined. Passports can be renewed, at the earliest, 8 months before expiration but can still be handled even though it's 3 months due to expire. Renewing a Philippine passport costs $480 which might not seem much but losing it costs a whopping $1,200! Thankfully, I have never lost my passport. The majority of the world's population enjoy a 30-day visa-free entry to the Philippines while HKSAR passport holders, due to the 2010 tension between Hong Kong and the Philippines, can only stay for 14 days. I like that the official website has downloadable forms so I wouldn't have to take a special trip to Admiralty just to get the forms I need.