Financial Secretary Paul Chan proposed in his budget blueprint on Wednesday an increase in air passenger departure tax and certain government fees and charges to help generate revenue, amid a budget deficit.

The departure tax for air passengers will go up from HK$120 to HK$200 from the third quarter of the 2025-26 financial year, with Chan saying "the impact on air passengers is expected to be minimal".

This will generate HK$1.6 billion in revenue to the government each year.

The finance chief also said transport officials will review the tolls of tunnels and major expressways in the city, and explore charging private vehicles travelling via land boundary control points.

"The government has cancelled the tolls of some major tunnels and strategic routes three years ago and the tolls of some government tunnels have not been adjusted for over 30 years," he said.

Private vehicles departing the land borders may be subject to a levy, which Chan expects to generate HK$1 billion each year, assuming a fee of HK$200 per car.

In addition, the Transport and Logistics Bureau will review annual licence fees for electric vehicles, parking metre charges and fixed penalties for traffic offences.

Chan also said there'll be a HK$600 application fee for various talent and capital investor admission schemes with immediate effect.

The visa fees will be raised to HK$600 or HK$1,300 "based on the duration of limit of stay", and expected to generate HK$620 million each year.

"For some time in the past, some government fees and charges have not been adjusted in accordance with the established mechanisms. As a result, these fees and charges are not pegged to their costs and fail to reflect the 'user pays' principle," he said.