I'm from the UK and my fiancee is from Singapore. We have recently moved to Hong Kong and registered a company in order to teach music. We have been given work permits, but the next stage, apparently, is to apply for a HK I.D. card. I picked up the necessary application forms from Immigration at Wanchai and saw that I had to ring a number in order to book an appointment to apply for the I.D. card. I rang the number yesterday (not realising it was public holiday) and the automatic message system gave me an appointment in Sham Shui Po(!) for next Tuesday. I then had to ring the number again, on my fiancee's behalf, and it gave her an appointment on Wednesday (next week) at the same venue. I rang again, just out of interest, and it gave the same time availability on the Wednesday.
It seems a very cumbersome and bureaucratic system here. Has anybody out there a similar experience? I worked in Singapore for two years, before coming here, and I got an Employment Pass and I.D. card (all in one) just after 10 days. Here, we had to go to Macau for the day, last week, just to 'activate' our work permits. Apparently, we are now only allowed one trip in and out of Hong Kong until we get our HK I.D. cards.
I should appreciate encouraging words from any of you with similar experience, or, are we going about it the wrong way?
Music Teacher
P.S. Whilst writing, is anybody able to suggest a good doctor (GP) and dentist in Western Mid-Levels, reasonably priced? Or am I not allowed to ask that on this forum?