Stage 1

Determine if you have an applicable dispute using the following criteria:

• an already registered .hk domain name is identical with or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in Hong Kong in which you have rights; and
• the party who is the existing registered holder of the .hk domain name in question has no legitimate rights or interest in such domain name; and
• the party who is the existing registered holder of the .hk domain name in question is using such domain name in bad faith.

Stage 2

Go to the .hk Domain Name Dispute Resolution website of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) (www.hkiac.org), which has been appointed by the Hong Kong Domain Name Registration Company Limited (HKDNR) as the provider of dispute resolution services in respect of disputes in connection with .hk domain names. Gather all the information you may require from the website, including downloading the relevant forms.

Stage 3

Submit to the HKIAC a Complaint, using Form A of the HKIAC's Domain Name Dispute Supplemental Rules, along with the appropriate fee payable to the HKIAC.

Stage 4

The HKIAC will review the Complaint as filed to ensure compliance. Such compliance review must be completed within three (3) calendar days of receiving the appropriate fees in connection with the Complaint

• If the Complaint, as filed, is found by the HKIAC to be in compliance, the proceedings move on to Stage 5.
• If the Complaint, as filed, is found by the HKIAC not to be in compliance, the HKIAC shall notify the Complainant of the deficiencies and the Complainant shall have five (5) calendar days from such notification to rectify the deficiencies and pay to the HKIAC the additional fees applicable.
• If within the five (5) calendars days permitted, the Complainant rectifies the deficiencies and pays to the HKIAC the additional fees applicable, the Complaint will be considered to be in compliance, and the proceedings move on to Stage 5.
• If within the five (5) calendars days permitted, the Complainant does not rectify the deficiencies and/or fails to pay to the HKIAC the additional fees applicable, the Complaint will be deemed withdrawn.

Stage 5

Within three (3) calendar days of finding a Complaint in compliance, the HKIAC will forward the Complaint to the party (the Respondent) who is the registered holder of the .hk domain name which is the object of the dispute. The date the Complaint is forwarded by the HKIAC to the Respondent is the date of the official commencement of the arbitration.

Stage 6

The Respondent has twenty (20) calendar days from date the HKIAC forwards the Complaint to the Respondent to file with the HKIAC a Response, using Form B to the HKIAC's Domain Name Dispute Supplemental Rules.

Stage 7

• If, in the absence of exceptional circumstances as determined by the HKIAC in its sole discretion, the Respondent does not submit a Response to the HKIAC in a timely manner, the proceedings move on to Stage 8.
• If the Respondent does submit a response in a timely manner, the proceedings move on to Stage 8.

Stage 8

• If neither Party has selected to have the arbitration decided by a three (3) member Arbitration Panel, the HKIAC will, within five (5) calendar days following receipt of the Response or the date the Response was due, if it was not filed, appoint an Arbitration Panel of one (1) Panelist.
• If either Party has selected to have the arbitration decided by a three (3) member Arbitration Panel, the HKIAC will following receipt of the Response or the date the Response was due, if it was not filed, appoint an Arbitration Panel of three (3) Panelists in accordance with sub-paragraphs (c) (d) and (e) of Paragraph 6 of the HKDNR Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy Rules of Procedure although in the event the Complainant initially requested a three (3) member Arbitration Panel and no Response was received from the Respondent, the Complaint shall have the right to convert its choice of a three (3) person Arbitration Panel to a one (1) person Arbitration Panel within (7) days of being notified by the HKIAC that the Respondent did not file a Response.

A Party may file with the HKIAC within Seven (7) days of the appointment of a member of an Arbitration Panel, a challenge to the appointment, on the grounds that such member's lack of impartiality or lack of independence. The HKIAC, in its sole discretion, will decide whether such challenge is justified.

Stage 9

An Arbitration Panel, once duly formed, has 21 days to render a decision and forward a copy to the HKIAC.

Stage 10

The HKIAC has three (3) calendar days to forward copies of the decision to the Parties and the HKDNR

A decision may be corrected for computation, clerical or typographical errors or errors of a similar nature within (7) days of the Parties and the HKDNR being notified of the decision.

Stage 11

A decision calling for cancellation or termination of the registration of a .hk domain name will be implemented by the HKDNR ten (10) days after the HKDNR has been notified of such a decision.

Stage 12

HKIAC will publish the decision on its website.