Starting from 1st December 2021, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue  to accept application for allocation of extendable niches at Tsang Tsui Columbarium all the year round and allocate the niches on a monthly basis until further notice. Details are as follows -

Application period: From 9:00 a.m. on the first day to 5:00 p.m. on the last day of each month (except announced otherwise)
Number of niches for allocation:

Smoke-free standard niche - @850
Non-smoke-free standard niche - @850
Non-smoke-free large niche - @20

Note: @ The number of niches may be adjusted according to the application situation. 
Date and venue of drawing of lots and computer random balloting: Will be conducted on the 20th of each month (if it is a Saturday or general holiday, it will be postponed to the next working day) at 10:00 a.m. in the Public Niche Allocation Office
Date of niche allocation: FEHD will invite the successful applicants in writing to complete the allocation formalities on the specified date and time according to their priorities determined by drawing of lots and computer random balloting in due course

Video : Introduction of Tsang Tsui Columbarium

Traffic arrangements for Tsang Tsui Columbarium

Special traffic arrangements for Tsang Tsui Columbarium during grave sweeping periods

Means of Application

Application form

Application form are available for download from FEHD website and collection in specified locations, including FEHD Hong Kong or Kowloon Cemeteries and Crematoria office, District Environmental Hygiene Offices of FEHD and Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of HAD or through 2841 9111 by fax.

Applicants are strongly recommended to apply by completing the online application form to avoid postal delay/ non-delivery. The applicant can also receive an acknowledgement receipt with an application number through email shortly after the online application submission, facilitating future follow-up of the application.

Applicants should read Application and Allocation for niches, Notes for Application and Notes for Deposit of Ashes carefully before completing the application form so as to understand the new allocation arrangements for extendable niches.

Video : Introduction of Extendable Niches

How to Fill in an Application Form for Allocation of a Public Niche

How to Apply for a Public Niche Online

Publicity Poster on Allocation of New Public Niches

Publicity Leaflet on Allocation of New Public Niches

Submission of Application

The completed application form together with the following documents should be submitted within the application period through the following means:

  1. Putting the application form into the drop-in box at the FEHD Hong Kong Cemeteries and Crematoria Office or Kowloon Cemeteries and Crematoria Office during office hours;
  2. The applicant holding “Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes” or “Certificate of Cremation”or “Receipt of Fee for Cremation”(only applicable to cremation session of FEHD within 15 days immediately after the expiry of application period) of the deceased issued by FEHD or overseas authorized crematoria may fill in the online application form, upload the required documents in pdf or jpeg format and submit the application online.

    Online Application for Niches at Tsang Tsui Columbarium

  3. By email (apply_newniche@fehd.gov.hk);
  4. By fax (2333 1716); or
  5. By post to the FEHD Hong Kong Cemeteries and Crematoria Office or Kowloon Cemeteries and Crematoria Office.

* If the applicant had submitted an application in or after 2019 and was accepted and there is no change in respect of his/her name and Hong Kong Identity Card number and all particulars of the deceased, copies of the required documents are not required.

Applications which are not supported with all required documents or information, or late or duplicated applications will not be accepted.

Eligibility for applying public niche

The cremated ashes of the following persons may be deposited in the columbaria of FEHD:

  1. a person who was a resident of Hong Kong at the time of his/her death and whose remains were cremated in a government crematorium within three months after his/her death#; or
  2. a person who was a resident of Hong Kong for a period of at least ten years during the period of twenty years immediately preceding his/her death and whose remains were cremated in a crematorium outside Hong Kong (Relevant documentary proof are required) #; or
  3. a person whose remains were lawfully exhumed and cremated in a government crematorium.

#   A copy of the relevant documents must be submitted with the application and the originals should be produced for inspection at the time of allocation.

Documents required for applying for a niche

  1. Copy of the applicant's Hong Kong Identity Card;
  2. Copy of each deceased person's Hong Kong Identity Card or other documentary proof of the deceased's Hong Kong resident status;
  3. Copy of the “Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes” [This is not applicable to those ashes still being kept in Government crematoria. If a cremation session has been successfully booked before the end of the application period, i.e. a cremation session of FEHD within 15 days after the expiry of application period, the applicant can also submit the application form with the “Receipt of Fee for Cremation”, and then submit the “Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes” soonest possible after receiving.] or “Certificate of Cremation” or “Permit to Remove/Exhume Remains” of each deceased person;

If the niche is for depositing more than one deceased person's ashes, copies of the documentary proof (such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.) showing that the first deposited deceased person and the other deceased are close relatives or in close relationship. (Close relative means the spouse, parent, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law or a direct descendant of either the male or female line.)  In the absence of documentary proof for close relatives or close relationship, the applicant may take an oath at the below office:

The new allocation arrangements for niche

  1. All available public niches for this allocation exercise are extendable niches. The initial interment period is 20 years and can be extended at 10-year intervals thereafter upon payment of the prevailing prescribed fee. The applicant has to provide the personal particulars of the related persons (i.e. the niche allocatee (i.e. the applicant) and nominated representatives (if any)) to FEHD for contact on matters relating to extension/handling of ashes after expiry of the interment period. If there are any changes of nominated representatives or the contact details, the related persons should inform FEHD accordingly. The onus is on the niche allocatee to handle the ashes of the deceased (i.e. either apply for extension or remove the ashes from the niche) after expiry of the 20-year initial interment period (or 10-year extension period thereafter) and to update FEHD on contact details from time to time.
  2. All niches, irrespective of their level and orientation on a niche wall, will be allocated to successful applicants by drawing of lots and computer random balloting rather than self-chosen.  
  3. To look after those failed in the last monthly allocation exercise (i.e. applicants that had not been invited for allocation) and to encourage co-location of ashes, these two categories of applications (i.e. those failed in the last monthly niche allocation exercise but does not include the case where an applicant was invited for allocation but eventually gave up on his/her own accord or opt for co-location of ashes), if satisfying the criteria for the respective categories will be given an additional "ballot paper" under that category to enhance the chance of successful balloting. However, only one additional "ballot paper" at most will be issued to each of the above two categories in one application.

Processing application

  1. Upon receiving the application form, FEHD will issue an acknowledgement receipt together with an application number to the applicant by post, fax or email (depending on the means of submission of the application). If the applicant does not receive an acknowledgement receipt 10 calendar days after submitting the application, he / she should call 2841 9111 for enquiries. If an acknowledgement receipt has not yet been received on the 10th day of the month following the month in which the application was submitted, the application should be considered not successfully delivered.
  2. FEHD will conduct drawing of lots and computer random balloting (Details) on the 20th of the following month (if it is a Saturday or general holiday, it will be postponed to the next working day) after close of the application period to determine the successful applicants' priorities in niche allocation and the designated niche allotted to them.
  3. Applicants may obtain the ballot results immediately after drawing of lots and computer random balloting through FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk), or on the following day at Hong Kong or Kowloon Cemeteries and Crematoria Office, the Public Niche Allocation Office or through hotline 2841 9111. FEHD will also notify the successful applicants of the ballot result by WhatsApp / SMS and email or post.
  4. After drawing of lots and computer random balloting, each successful application will be allotted a priority number and a designated niche. FEHD will inform the successful applicants of the date and time of completing the allocation formalities and paying the relevant fees by letter according to their priorities at the Public Niche Allocation Office (address: Units 3501-3511 and 3520-3525, 35/F, Tower 1, Metroplaza, 223, Hing Fong Road, Kwai Fong, N.T. ).  The applicant can settle payment by “EPS”, “FPS”, cheque or cashier order and complete the transaction over the allocation counter.  For cheque and cashier order payment, they must be made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” in an amount of $2,490 for standard niche and $3,090 for large niche and the cheque must be crossed.
  5. For applications submitted on or after 1.8.2022, regardless of whether the successful applicant takes up the assigned niche or not, FEHD will not accept further niche application for the same deceased at the same columbarium in the next 6 months counting from the month in which the application is submitted.
  6. If applications for the same deceased are submitted in two consecutive months, the processing of the next application will be suspended until the ballot result of the previous application is available. The FEHD will continue to process the next application only when the previous application is not successful.

Other Points to Note

  1. The application procedure is simple. An applicant is only required to complete an application form and submit it together with copies of the above-mentioned documents. There is no need to entrust other persons / organisations to make an application on his / her behalf.
  2. No fee is charged for making an application.
  3. FEHD has not entrusted any organisations / persons to receive / process applications or assist in the submission of applications. No one should enjoy any convenience or privilege.
  4. The fees for an extendable standard niche at Tsang Tsui Columbarium for the initial 20-year interment period is $2,400 and permission for placing a memorial plaque is $90. The fees for an extendable large niche at Tsang Tsui Columbarium for the initial 20-year interment period is $3,000 and permission for placing a memorial plaque is $90. The administration fee for placing an additional set of ashes is $140 thereafter.
  5. For application for a standard niche, the applicant has to fill in not less than one deceased person's particulars in the application form.  For application for a large niche, the applicant has to fill in not less than three deceased persons' particulars in the application form. The other deceased persons listed in the application form should be a close relative of or in close relationship with the first deposited deceased person.  The niche should be returned to FEHD if the cremated ashes of the first deceased person deposited in that niche have been removed.
  6. If the name of the deceased person on an application form for a new niche is already on the waiting list for reused niche, FEHD will delete the name of the deceased from the waiting list for reused niche upon successful allocation of and deposit of ashes of deceased in a new niche at Tsang Tsui Columbarium. Furthermore, if the concerned deceased has already been allocated another public niche and the deceased is the 1st deceased in that niche, the applicant should return that niche to FEHD after the concerned ashes have been deposited in the new niche. In case the applicant and the above-mentioned applicant for reused niche and/or the niche allocatee of the public niche are of different persons, the applicant must sign an undertaking to confirm that his application has been approved by the above-mentioned person(s).
  7. FEHD reminds the public that when applying for a public niche for a deceased relative, the applicant should handle the matter in person.  If the applicant has no time to deal with the application in person, he/she should still fill in the application form in his/her name and authorise others to follow up. This is to ensure that FEHD can keep in touch with the applicant (i.e. the niche allocatee) direct on matters relating to extension of the interment period so that the niche allocatee can safeguard the interests of the deceased person(s).

Information on Cemeteries and Crematoria Offices of FEHD

Hong Kong Cemeteries and Crematoria Office
Address: 1J Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Tel. No.: 2570 4318
Fax No.: 2591 1879

Kowloon Cemeteries and Crematoria Office
Address: Upper Ground Floor, 6 Cheong Hang Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon
Tel. No.: 2365 5321
Fax No.: 2176 4963

Public Niche Allocation Office
Address: Units 3501-3511 and 3520-3525, 35/F, Metroplaza, Tower 1, 223 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Fong, N.T.
Tel. No.: 2330 5635
Fax No.: 2333 1716

Office Hours :

Mondays to Fridays :      9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturdays :     9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon (except Public Niche Allocation Office)
Sundays and Public Holidays : Closed

Enquiries

Enquiry Tel. No.: 2841 9111
Enquiry email: enquiry_newniche@fehd.gov.hk

FAQ

Application Status

Layout Plan of Available Niches for Allocation

Niche Location Enquiry

Video Record of Balloting

Balloting Result

Contact Us