Aimed to advance the Land Registry into the 21st century, we developed a strategic change plan (SCP) in 1998. A key change driver is to implement a Central Registration System (CRS). To implement a CRS, we had developed the Integrated Registration Information System (IRIS) in 2005 to replace the then separate IT systems, namely, the Land Registration System, the Direct Access Services, and the Document Imaging System.
With IRIS that enables the implementation of the CRS, the geographic boundaries were removed so that documents could be lodged at a central registration office in our headquarters in Queensway for the registration of all land documents, irrespective of the property locations. This saves customers' time from sending land documents to the respective registration offices in the New Territories for registration. Upon centralization of the registration of land documents, some search offices in the New Territories were retained to provide local customers with enhanced search services for properties throughout Hong Kong and for owners' incorporation. The IRIS Online Services have also been introduced providing search services over the Internet which allows the general public and subscribers easy and convenient access to property information in Hong Kong.