China to pilot digital exit-entry permit to HK, Macao

2014-05-19 17:11 Xinhua Web Editor: Yao Lan

China to pilot digital exit-entry permit to HK, Macao

China will issue smart cards to gradually replace the current paper permits for those commuting between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Monday.

The ministry plans to pilot the new permit in Guangdong, a province in south China adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, and local police agencies will accept applications for the e-permit starting May 20.

Similar to an e-passport, the new permit has an integrated circuit chip containing personal information, fingerprints and entry endorsement of the card holder, according to the ministry.

The mainland and Hong Kong and Macao have witnessed closer exchanges and a rising number of visits in recent years.

In 2013, visitor arrivals from the mainland to Hong Kong increased by 16.8 percent year on year to about 40.5 million, while arrivals from the mainland to Macao increased by 10 percent year on year to more than 18.63 million.

The e-permit, which enables holders to use e-Channel service with fingerprint verification, is expected to improve efficiency in issuing documents and official inspection at the checkpoints, the ministry said in a statement.

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 of China, Hong Kong and Macao have maintained their own border controls after they were returned to the motherland in 1997 and 1999, respectively.

The current paper permit was put into use on Jan. 1, 2002.

公安部試點啟用電子往來港澳通行證

記者１９日從中國公安部獲悉，公安部將在廣東試點啟用電子往來港澳通行證，廣東公安機關(guān)５月２０日起受理申請。即將啟用的電子通行證存有數(shù)字化的個人資料和指紋信息，持證人可使用口岸自助查驗通道實現(xiàn)自助通關(guān)。

公安部有關(guān)負責人介紹，電子往來港澳通行證啟用后，居民申領(lǐng)和使用證件將更為便捷。第一，證件參照電子卡式旅行證件的國際標準設(shè)計印制，大小與居民身份證或信用卡相當，攜帶和使用更為方便；第二，證件內(nèi)嵌智能芯片，外覆新型激光防偽膜，采用十幾種安全防偽措施，防偽性能更強；第三，證件內(nèi)存有數(shù)字化的個人資料和指紋信息，可以由系統(tǒng)自動查驗比對，符合條件的持證人可以自助通關(guān)，包括免登記使用港澳地區(qū)口岸的自助查驗通道，通關(guān)效率進一步提升；第四，成人證件有效期由５年延長為１０年，往來港澳簽注可在證件背面重復擦寫，無需頻繁換證，進一步降低了持證人辦證成本；第五，具備條件的地區(qū)將利用電子證件的功能特點，為持證人提供自助申請等快捷辦理赴港澳簽注等服務(wù)，證件辦理渠道將進一步拓寬、手續(xù)更為簡便。

公安部有關(guān)負責人表示，電子往來港澳通行證啟用后，內(nèi)地居民往來港澳地區(qū)的管理政策不變，證件申請受理渠道和審批條件不變，收費標準不變。在辦理環(huán)節(jié)，除了留存或核驗指紋信息外，電子通行證和簽注的申辦渠道、程序及相關(guān)的資格、條件與現(xiàn)行往來港澳通行證、簽注完全一致�，F(xiàn)行本式往來港澳通行證和簽注在有效期內(nèi)可以繼續(xù)使用，持本式通行證可以繼續(xù)申辦貼紙式簽注。

據(jù)悉，現(xiàn)行本式往來港澳通行證自２００２年１月１日啟用。