CSD Social Visit e-Services Platform

1. How can I register an account via the Social Visit e-Services Platform (the Platform)?
   You must be a declared visitor of a PIC to register an account through the following means:
   

   • register an account with the “iAM SMART+”; or
   • make online registration by providing your personal data and then go to the institution to which the PIC concerned is admitted in person for completing identity verification; or
   • go to the institution to which the PIC concerned is admitted in person for completing the Visit Application Form.

   After obtaining the consent of the PIC concerned, you can create your account via the Platform. After creating an account, an acknowledgement email containing an initial password will be sent to your registered email address. You can log in to the Platform with the iAM SMART+ or by your registered email address. You should change the password immediately upon your first login.
2. Is there any requirement for the password format?
   The password must contain 8 to 16 characters, including uppercase alphabet(s), lower case alphabet(s), numeral(s) and special character(s). The new password will expire after 90 days and cannot be identical to the previous 8 passwords.
3. What should I do if I forget my login password?
   If you forget your login password, you can simply click on “Forget Password” and follow the on-screen instructions. The reset password will be sent to your registered email address.
4. What should I do if I forget my login email address?
   If you forget your login email address, you may send an email to email@csd.gov.hk for enquiry.
5. What should I do if I wish to change my email address?
   If you wish to change your email address, please delete your current account by using the “Account Deletion” function first. Then you may register a new account with your new email address. For any assistance, please approach our on-duty visit room staff.

6. When can I make an appointment?
   The Platform operates 24 hours a day. Subject to the availability of quota, you can make advance bookings for social visits for the next 7 days (subject to the visiting hours for social visits of each correctional facility. For details, please refer to the CSD’s website). At all times, only two active bookings are allowed for each User, and the difference between two appointment time slots cannot be less than 1 hour.
7. What can I do if the appointment booking quota for the date I prefer has already been filled?
   If the quota for the date you prefer has been filled, you can make an appointment for another date. Quotas for the next 7 days will be released at 8:30 a.m. every day for the public to make a booking. Besides, you may register in person at the visit room of the institution concerned for a social visit. All institutions have specified visiting hours, generally from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. You must register 30 minutes prior to the end of the visiting hours. Some institutions, such as reception centres and half-way houses, adopt a different arrangement to suit their own needs. Please refer to the CSD’s website for details of the arrangement.
8. What should I do if I want to cancel an appointment?
   If you want to cancel an appointment, it should be done before the commencement time of the scheduled appointment.
9. How can I know whether my booking is successful?
   A confirmation email will be sent to you for any successful booking. Besides, you can click on “Enquire Applied Booking” to search for your appointment booking.
10. Why can I only enquire about the visit status without being able to make an e-booking through the Platform?
    You can only make an e-booking after obtaining the consent of the PIC you intend to visit.

11. What is the consequence for absence from scheduled social visits?
    To ensure effective use of resources, anyone who has been absent twice from scheduled social visits will be subject to suspension of e-booking service for 7 days; and suspension for 14 days for each absence thereafter. The accumulated absence records will be written off if there is no further absence for 6 months.
12. Under what circumstances will my appointment for a social visit be postponed or cancelled?

    The institutional management endeavours to facilitate social visits by visitors. Nonetheless, a visit may be delayed or cancelled due to unforeseeable circumstances. For instance, the PIC concerned has been sent to an outside hospital due to medical emergencies or the PIC concerned could not be escorted to the visit room due to operational reasons. Visitors are encouraged to use the Platform to check the institution where the PIC is detained and whether the visit is allowed prior to the visit.
13. If the visit status of a PIC is indicated as “Visits Permitted” on the Platform, is it guaranteed that I can visit the PIC concerned?
    The actual visit status of a PIC is subject to change from time to time due to various reasons. The visit status shown on the Platform is only for reference and does not guarantee that a visit can be arranged.
14. How early should I arrive at the institution if I have made an appointment for a social visit?
    You should arrive at the visit room 30 minutes prior to the appointment time and bring along your identity card or other valid identification documents for registration, so as to allow sufficient time for necessary administrative arrangements and handling of approved hand-in articles.
15. Does the Social Visit e-Services Platform support operating system (OS) platforms on mobile devices?
    The Social Visit e-Services Platform not only supports systems in desktop computers and tablet devices, but also the two commonly-used mobile OS platforms, iOS and Android OS.

General Enquiry

For any enquiries, please call our hotline at (852) 2511 3511 or e-mail to email@csd.gov.hk.