NOVELTY - The method involves forming an insulating protective layer (108a) made of silicon oxide on a chip passivation layer (106) made of silicon nitride. A set of conductive pads (104) is covered. A packaging layer (200) is provided. A semiconductor wafer (100) is bonded with the packaging layer. The packaging layer is patterned to form a set of openings, where the protective layer is exposed at a peripheral bonding pad area (100B). The packaging layer is used as a hard mask to remove the protective layer at the peripheral bonding pad area, where the conductive pads are exposed.    USE - Method for fabricating a chip package e.g. semiconductor chip package or wafer level package such as image sensor package, for packaging a semiconductor chip e.g. non-photosensitive device or image sensor such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device or charge-couple device (CCD). Can also be used for solar cell, RF circuit, accelerator, gyroscope, micro actuator, surface acoustic wave device, pressure sensor, ink printer head, active or passive device or digital or analog circuit integrated electronic component e.g. optoelectronic device, MEMS device, micro fluidic system and physical sensor for detecting heat, light or pressure, and multi-layered integrated circuit device.    ADVANTAGE - The insulating protective layer is formed on the conductive pads during a cutting process for the wafer scale package, thus preventing the conductive pads from damage and scratching by a chipping formed from the cutting process. The packaging layer is used as a hard mask to remove the insulating protective layer at the peripheral bonding pad area, such that the need for forming an extra patterned photoresist to serve as a mask is avoided.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a cross-sectional view of a chip package during a fabrication process.    Semiconductor wafer (100)    Peripheral bonding pad area (100B)    Conductive pads (104)    Chip passivation layer (106)    Insulating protective layer (108a)    Packaging layer (200)