The National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced on Monday that non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau can from next Wednesday apply for special travel permits to enter mainland China.
The mainland travel permit consists of an ID-card-like document. Its design is similar to Macau and Hong Kong Chinese nationals’ Home Return Permit.
According to the announcement, those applying for the first time for the multiple-visit permit allowing them to travel to the mainland for short-term purposes such as investment, visiting relatives, tourism, business, seminars and exchanges should submit their applications in person to China Travel Service (Macao) Limited at Nam Kwong Building on Avenida do Dr Rodrigo Rodrigues in Zape.
The NIA has released its “Guidelines for Application for Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens)” on its official website, stating that applicants in Macau shall present and submit the originals and copies of the application form “filled in completely and accurately”, with the applicant’s recent ID photo pasted on it, as well as the originals and copies of their valid Macau permanent ID card, ordinary passport with a validity period of no less than six months, a “Certificate of Personal Data” issued by the Identification Services Bureau (DSI) within six months prior to the date of application, among other necessary application documents.
The guidelines also state that applicants aged under 18 should be accompanied by their guardians, who are required to present their original ID certificate, such as their passport and proof of guardianship, underlining that all the personal information submitted by the applicants shall be protected in accordance with the law.
The fee for the first application in Hong Kong or Macau is HK$260, while the fee for renewal or replacement in the mainland is 230 yuan.
According to the guidelines, the permit will be issued within 20 working days after the application is officially accepted when the applicant can collect the permit from China Travel Service (Macao) Limited. Those who are under 18 may apply for their permits to be collected by their guardians.
The guidelines underline that if applicants fail to collect their permits within 12 months from the scheduled date of collection without justifiable reasons, the permits would be revoked.
In terms of the replacement or re-issuance of a permit in the mainland, the guidelines point out that the permit holders can legally stay in the mainland with the original receipt of acceptance during the application period or apply for a one-time exit document in order to leave the mainland and apply for the replacement or re-issuance of their permit in China Travel Service (Macao) Limited.
Permit holders will be allowed multiple entries into the mainland within a five-year validity period, with each stay not exceeding 90 days, but the guidelines point out that the permit holders shall apply for an extension of stay of up to 90 days to local exit-entry administration of the public security department at or above the municipal level in the mainland if they need to stay for more than 90 days there due to force majeure or other justifiable reasons, during which the permit holders shall register with the police in accordance with law.
If the permit holders lose the status of non-Chinese permanent resident of Hong Kong or Macau, or if there is any falsification or forgery, their permits will be cancelled or declared invalid by the competent authorities in accordance with the law, the guidelines underline, which added that any changes in the passport number, contact information or emergency contact person of the permit holder should be reported to the application-processing authority within 30 days.
China Travel Service (Macao) Limited opens from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays, except public holidays.
This undated file photo taken from the Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited’s website last night shows the facilities of China Travel Service (Macao) Limited in Nam Kwong Building on Avenida do Dr Rodrigo Rodrigues in Zape.
