Under Section 36(3) of the Rating Ordinance (Cap. 116), the Director of Home Affairs, acting on behalf of the Chief Executive, can exempt genuine village houses outside the areas specified in Section 36(1)(c) from rates. Generally, an indigenous villager or their immediate family members may be exempt from paying rates for the genuine village house they occupy. According to the current rates exemption policy for the New Territories, “indigenous villager” refers to someone who is male-line descended from a resident of an established village in the New Territories (excluding New Kowloon) as of 1898. “Immediate family members” include parents, grandparents, spouses, children, siblings, parents-in-law, and grandparents-in-law.

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Additionally, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) aims to revamp its website to enhance user experience for both internal and external users. The new design will incorporate a single gateway with dual login options.