The Macau government announced yesterday that from today eligible border crossers can pass border controls at the Qingmao checkpoint and at the Macau-Zhuhai checkpoint of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) without having to present their travel documents when using e-channels where they are now only required to pass fingerprint scans and facial recognition.
The new measure to be implemented at the two Macau-mainland joint checkpoints from today was announced in a joint statement by the Public Security Police (PSP) and the Macau Public Security Forces Affairs Bureau (DSFSM) yesterday.
Since early November last year, eligible border crossers have been able to use e-channels at the Macau-mainland joint checkpoint on Zhuhai’s Hengqin island without having to present their travel documents where they are only required to pass fingerprint scans and facial recognition. The Hengqin checkpoint was the first Macau-mainland joint checkpoint to implement such a measure.
Three of Macau’s land border checkpoints with Zhuhai are Macau-mainland joint checkpoints, where the “joint inspection and one-time release” system is operating, namely the HZMB Macau-Zhuhai checkpoint, the Hengqin checkpoint, and the Qingmao checkpoint.
While the Hengqin checkpoint and the Qingmao checkpoint operate 24/7, the HZMB Macau-Zhuhai checkpoint opens between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Qingmao is a land border checkpoint for pedestrians only.
The “joint inspection and one-time release” model is a joint Macau-mainland immigration clearance system adopted at Macau-mainland joint checkpoints where border crossers are required to pass border controls only once when completing their departure and arrival formalities.
Yesterday’s PSP-DSFSM joint announcement means that after the new function enabling eligible border crossers to use e-channels without having to present their travel documents was launched for the Hengqin joint checkpoint in early November last year, it has now been extended to the other two Macau-mainland joint checkpoints, namely the HZMB Macau-Zhuhai checkpoint and the Qingmao checkpoint, starting today.
Before the new function’s launch, border crossers, when using e-channels, were required to have their travel documents scanned first, after which they were required to pass fingerprint scans and facial recognition.
Now, border crossers, when using e-channels at any of the three Macau-mainland joint checkpoints, do not have to have their travel documents scanned. Instead, they are now only required to pass fingerprint scans and facial recognition.
Border crossers using the three Macau-mainland joint checkpoints’ e-channels can choose to continue presenting their travel documents instead of using the new function.
The new function covers Macau residents (including non-Chinese nationals), Hong Kong permanent residents (including non-Chinese nationals), mainlanders, and residents of China’s Taiwan region. However, yesterday’s PSP-DSFSM joint statement noted, the function does not cover Taiwan residents for the Qingmao checkpoint as only Macau residents, Hong Kong permanent residents, and mainlanders can use this checkpoint, i.e., this checkpoint is not open to Taiwan residents, and foreign nationals who are neither Macau nor Hong Kong residents.
The statement noted that only those aged 14 or over are eligible to use the function at the three Macau-mainland joint checkpoints’ e-channels.
Those wishing to use the new function are required to register first. Those aged 18 or over, according to the statement, can choose to register for the new function at any of the three Macau-mainland joint checkpoints’ e-channels when having their travel documents scanned there while passing border controls. Next time, they can use the e-channels without having to have their travel documents scanned. Alternatively, they can choose not to register for the new function, in which case they will be required to continue presenting their travel documents every time they go through the e-channels.
Those aged between 14 and 17, according to the statement, are required to visit one of the various PSP service points, including those at the three Macau-mainland joint checkpoints, with their parents to register for the new function. Afterwards, they are still required to do the same step as those aged 18 or over in order to use the new function.
According to yesterday’s statement, those who have completed the registration at an e-channel in any of the three Macau-mainland joint checkpoints can use the function when using e-channels at any of the three checkpoints.
Consequently, those who have already been using the function at the Hengqin checkpoint can now directly use it at any of the other two Macau-mainland joint checkpoints.
This undated handout photo released yesterday shows border crossers using e-channels at the Qingmao joint checkpoint. – Photo: PSP/DSFSM
