The government is planning to install its iris recognition system at more checkpoints in Macau, including the Macau Port checkpoint of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB), Macau Port checkpoint of the Taipa Ferry Terminal, Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal this year to improve immigration clearance efficiency and experience, Public Security Police (PSP) Border Control Department Maritime and Air Border Control Division Chief Mui Kin Meng said yesterday.
Mui made the remarks during a meeting held yesterday by the PSP regarding security measures to be taken before and during the upcoming CNY, adding that the new measure is due to the government expecting the number of registrations and users to increase.
Mui said that 10 channels equipped with the iris recognition system were installed at the Barrier Gate checkpoint in the second quarter of last year, and as of last Friday, more than 170,000 residents had registered to cross the checkpoint using the iris recognition system when leaving and re-entering Macau, and the Immigration Department had recorded a total of 1.2 million times of use.
Mui noted that the government had recorded more than 5.6 million times of using e-id to cross Macau’s border checkpoints by the end of last year, showing a utilisation rate of about 15.6 percent.
Meanwhile, Mui said the government was planning to open all the permanent vehicle inspection channels at the Hengqin joint border checkpoint this year, after which, nine passenger vehicle channels and six goods vehicle channels in each direction of departure and arrival will come into use, while the goods vehicle channels can be used for passenger vehicles during peak hours.
Mui also said that the “joint inspection and one-time release” system will hopefully also be adopted this year at the Hengqin checkpoint’s permanent vehicle inspection channels, meaning that vehicles crossing the border will no longer be required to pass border controls twice.
This undated file photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) shows a resident using a channel equipped with the iris recognition system installed at the Barrier Gate checkpoint.
