The Immigration Department works closely with the Security Bureau, the HKSAR Government Office in Beijing, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong and the overseas Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in providing assistance to Hong Kong residents who have run into trouble or been involved in accidents or natural disasters outside Hong Kong. The assistance that is normally rendered to such Hong Kong residents includes confirmation of their identities, liaison with overseas governments to seek up-to-date information on their condition, conveyance of information to their family members in Hong Kong, issue of travel documents urgently to facilitate their return to Hong Kong or onward trips to elsewhere and, if necessary, liaising with their family members in Hong Kong for rendering financial assistance to cover the costs of their return passages.

    With effect from January 1, 2001, a Reciprocal Notification Mechanism between Mainland authorities and the HKSAR Government has come into operation. Under the arrangements, the Mainland Notification Unit will notify the Liaison Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force of the imposition of any criminal compulsory measure on suspected offenders who are Hong Kong residents. Notifications will also be made in cases of unnatural deaths of Hong Kong residents in the Mainland. The Immigration Department and the Beijing Office will provide appropriate and feasible assistance to the family members upon their request.

    In 2002, the Immigration Department handled 994 requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents outside Hong Kong.