First day observation of non Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau applying for Mainland Travel Permit
2024-07-11
The most anticipated thing for retired Australian helicopter pilot Sean, who is 65 years old, recently is to obtain a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau residents (non Chinese). He hopes to take advantage of convenience policies and visit his wife's hometown of Taishan, Guangdong more often. As a non Chinese permanent resident of Hong Kong, it is very convenient to go to the mainland after obtaining a travel permit. In the future, our family can often travel and enjoy Chinese cuisine Sean excitedly said. July 10th is the first day for non Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau to apply for a travel permit to and from the mainland. The State Administration for Entry and Exit previously announced that starting from July 10, 2024, non Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macao will be issued with travel permits to and from the mainland. The first application for a pass shall be submitted by the applicant to the Hong Kong China Travel Service Group or Macau China Travel Service commissioned by the Exit Entry Administration. The holder of the certificate can travel to and from the mainland multiple times within the 5-year validity period of the certificate, with each stay not exceeding 90 days. The Hong Kong CTS Document Service Hong Kong Island Center has set up two dedicated windows for processing non Chinese passports, allowing applicants holding passports from countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, India, and South Korea to submit their documents. Lan Haitao, General Manager of the Document Business Department of China Travel Service Group in Hong Kong, said that appointment applications are currently quite active, and all eligible applications have been successfully accepted on the 10th. In order to avoid congestion in certificate processing, the institution has set up dedicated windows in six certificate service centers throughout Hong Kong and published instructions in advance on the certificate processing website to help applicants master the relevant procedures and prepare the necessary materials. Many foreign nationals who applied for documents on site on the same day stated that this document is currently the most convenient way to clear customs, whether it is for business activities, family outings, or visiting relatives and friends. Sabnani, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Indian Chamber of Commerce, believes that this new measure is a "major event" for non Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents, providing them with convenience and more opportunities for inspection, discussion, investment, and negotiation in mainland China. Dong Jiang Songen, member of the Council of the International Association for the Promotion of the Commercialization of Intellectual Property Rights, stated that as American citizens who have been living in Hong Kong for over a decade, the new measures bring them a sense of "belonging" and make people feel that they are no longer "outsiders" in Hong Kong. "Many foreigners are looking forward to the implementation of this policy.". "I am very pleased that the new measures can make customs clearance smoother and save valuable time and energy." Quentin Parker, the director of the Space Research Laboratory at the University of Hong Kong, has more and more opportunities to participate in academic activities in mainland China, and has traveled back and forth 8 times since the beginning of this year. After receiving the news that he could apply for a travel permit to and from the mainland, he filled out the application as soon as possible and hoped to use it next time he went to Beijing to attend a conference. Just after 9am on the 10th, there were people coming and going in the lobby of China Travel Service in Macau. Next to windows 9 to 12, there was a picture and text explanation of "Application Notice for Mainland Travel Permit (Non Chinese) for Hong Kong and Macao Residents", and many applicants were waiting to apply. The on-site staff of Australia China Travel Service explained that many people were present before the opening of the day. At present, the application guidance has been published on the website and WeChat official account to accept the online submission of the applicant. Generally, the offline application time can be reserved after the next day's review. "The entire process takes about 10 minutes to complete." As one of the first batch of applicants for the pass, Canadian pilot Zheng Junhong handled the pass very smoothly. He believes that the new policy has made his entry and exit more convenient. Chen Jiemei, Executive Vice General Manager of the Document Business Center of Australia China Travel Service, revealed that in order to better cooperate with the implementation of the new policy, Australia China Travel Service has hired Portuguese speaking talents, deployed English speaking talents, and set up four specialized windows. Portuguese lawyer Amari and her family also applied for the first batch of travel permits. Having lived in Macau for 42 years and witnessed its many years of development and changes, she believes that this policy is of great significance to non Chinese local residents, making it more convenient for them to travel to and from mainland China. It also helps them to enhance their understanding of China and "better introduce their firsthand experiences to friends.". People from all walks of life in Hong Kong and Macao believe that after obtaining a travel permit to and from the mainland, foreign permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macao will be more convenient to invest, conduct business negotiations, academic exchanges, and travel and leisure in the mainland, which will help attract more talents from around the world and promote local economic prosperity and development. Chen Jiemei stated that this policy provides convenience for non Chinese Macau residents to enter the mainland for investment, family visits, tourism, business, discussions, and exchanges, which is conducive to the moderate and diversified development of Macau's economy. Sabnani said that under the new arrangement, Hong Kong can better align with the mainland, and there will be more people coming south to invest, develop businesses, and engage in tourism exchanges, bringing positive two-way interaction. Peng Ling, Director of the Citizen Entry Exit Management Department of the Exit Entry Administration of the People's Republic of China, stated that the implementation of the new policy will further promote extensive exchanges and exchanges between mainland China and Hong Kong and Macao, facilitate smooth activities such as trade and investment, cultural tourism, education and scientific research, support Hong Kong and Macao to better integrate into the overall national development, and serve to promote the long-term prosperity and stable development of the Hong Kong and Macao special zones. (Lai Xin She)
Edit：Lubaikang Responsible editor：Chenze
Source：XinhuaNet
Special statement: if the pictures and texts reproduced or quoted on this site infringe your legitimate rights and interests, please contact this site, and this site will correct and delete them in time. For copyright issues and website cooperation, please contact through outlook new era email：lwxsd@liaowanghn.com
Greater Bay Area
Recommended Reading Change it 
Home
