FAQ

You only need to tap "More" on the home page of the Octopus App, then select “Personalised Octopus”, tap “New Personalised Octopus Application”, then follow the procedures in the electronic form to complete the application, and move on to paying the application fee. If you don’t have Octopus App, please search for and download it via Google Play, App Store or AppGallery. Please click here for a short explanatory video.

Applying for a Personalised Octopus electronically is quick and easy. Applicants submitting applications using the Octopus App can not only check progress with the application using the Octopus App, but also activate their Personalised Octopus through the Octopus App immediately after receiving it.

If you want to submit a Personalised Octopus application using a paper application form, you can still submit one and pay the fee at a designated MTR or Light Rail Customer Service Centre. Applicants submitting a paper application form still must activate the Personalised Octopus at an MTR Customer Service Centre after receiving it.

Hong Kong residents must provide a Hong Kong Identity Card or Hong Kong Birth Certificate (for children under 11 years old); non-Hong Kong residents can provide a China Identity Card / Macau Identity card / Passport / Hong Kong SAR Re-entry Permit. Applications from holders of other supporting documents such as One-way Permits / Exit-entry Permits will not be accepted. If the applicant chooses to have a personal photo printed on the Personalised Octopus, he or she must also submit a colour passport photo.

Applications can be accepted for children as young as 2 years 9 months. If applicants aged between 12 and 25 who meet "Student Status" want to directly apply for a Personalised Octopus with Student Status, please refer to Q14. Hong Kong residents aged 60 and above can apply for a JoyYou Card.

You need to prepare a colour passport photo taken within the past 6 months.

The upfront payment for a Personalised Octopus is HK$200, which includes a deposit of HK$50, an initial stored value of HK$130 and a HK$20 handling fee.

After filling in the application details in the Octopus App, you must pay the application fee of HK$200 immediately via Octopus or Octopus Wallet. Please ensure that the Octopus or Octopus Wallet has sufficient remaining value. To pay with Octopus Wallet, you must first log in to your Octopus Account.

Persons who have submitted applications using the Octopus App within the past 90 days can check the progress of their applications through the Octopus App. You only need to tap “More” on the Home page of the Octopus App, then select "Personalised Octopus", tap "Personalised Octopus Application Status Enquiry ", and follow the instructions to input the information to check the application progress. Please click here for details.

In addition, if you have submitted an application for Personalised Octopus, please pay attention to any SMS, email or letter sent by Octopus Cards Limited to inform you regarding progress with your application.

If you fail to complete the payment when submitting an application through the Octopus App, you should be able to promptly pay through “Personalised Octopus Application Status Enquiry" in the Octopus App. If the system fails to display a record of your Personalised Octopus application, you must repeat the application process.

You may submit supplementary information and/or required supporting documents by:

1. Mail: P.O. Box No. 1529, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Octopus Cards Limited,
   Personalised Octopus Application; or
2. Email: applycard@octopus.com.hk

Note: when you submit the supplementary information and/or required supporting documents, please quote the Application Reference Number.

Your new Personalised Octopus will be sent to your correspondence address in Hong Kong within 10 working days after receipt of all required information and documents.

If you applied for the Personalised Octopus through the Octopus App, you can immediately activate the Personalised Octopus on the Octopus App after receiving it, by following the instructions in the activation letter. If you applied using a paper application form, please bring the new Personalised Octopus along with the activation letter to any MTR Customer Service Centre for activation. (MTR staff will collect the signed activation letter from you).

You may keep this Octopus as a spare, or get a refund from any MTR Customer Service Centre. If the Standard On-Loan Octopus has been in use for less than 90 days, you will have to pay a refund handling fee of HK$11.

You can select “MTR Student Travel Scheme" on the Octopus App to apply for a Personalised Octopus with student status, or submit an application on the MTR website.

Simply return the Personalised Octopus to any MTR Customer Service Centre. You will have to pay a fee of HK$10 for returning it. (This fee will be waived if your Octopus was issued before 1 November 2004). Learn more.