Modest piece of plastic due for next microchip upgrade

The Hong Kong identity card (HKID) is a small but essential possession for living in the city. Issued by the Immigration Department, all residents aged 15 or older must carry it, and anyone who stays locally for more than 180 days is required to apply for one. But more than furnishing legal proof that one is allowed to be in the city, this modest piece of plastic comes in handy for other processes, from banking to borrowing books. And increasingly, it is taking on more roles in the lives of Hongkongers.