Middle East war drives 35% rise in Hongkongers’ overseas help requests

Hongkongers’ requests for help from overseas jumped 35 per cent in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, the city’s immigration chief has revealed, attributing the rise to the war in the Middle East.

Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung told reporters on Saturday that his department had received around 3,160 requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents overseas between January and August this year.

“The rise mainly came from the military conflict in the Middle East earlier this year. Of the rest, half involved lost identity documents,” Kwok said.

The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on 28 February. The conflict upended global air traffic as Middle Eastern flight hubs were deemed unsafe, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and triggered a global fuel crisis.

Tensions at the strategic strait escalated again recently, prompting Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways to further cancel flights to Dubai and Riyadh up to and including November 30.

The immigration chief urged residents to keep a close eye on their passports and other personal identity documents when travelling overseas, as a lost document could hinder a person from leaving some countries.

“It also takes time to reissue the passport. Even though Chinese consulates and the Immigration Department will endeavour to help residents, it still takes some time,” Kwok said.