Smart cards to make visits to HK, Macau easier
Print Edition
CHINA is issuing smart cards to gradually replace paper permits for people commuting between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macau, the Ministry of Public Security said yesterday.
The ministry plans to pilot the new permit in Guangdong, a province in south China adjacent to Hong Kong and Macau, and local police agencies are accepting applications for the e-permit from today.
Similar to an e-passport, the permit has a chip containing personal information, fingerprints and other details.
The mainland and Hong Kong and Macau have witnessed closer exchanges and a rising number of visits in recent years.
In 2013, visitors to Hong Kong from the mainland increased by 16.8 percent year on year to about 40.5 million, while those going to Macau from the mainland had increased by 10 percent year on year to more than 18.63 million.
The e-permit is expected to improve efficiency in issuing documents and inspections at checkpoints, the ministry said.
The e-permit’s period of validity for citizens 16 years old or above will be extended from the current five years to ten. For those under 16, the permit will still be valid for five years.
As special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau have maintained their own border controls after they were returned to China in 1997 and 1999.
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