Applications for a new card-style travel permit opened on Wednesday for non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macao who want to visit the Chinese mainland.
On July 1, China’s immigration authorities announced the launch of the new permit, which costs HK$260 ($33) and allows multiple entries into the mainland within a five-year validity period, with each stay limited to 90 days.
The city is home to 270,000 non-Chinese permanent residents. According to the 2021 population census data in Hong Kong, there are nearly 620,000 ethnic minority individuals in the city, accounting for approximately 8.4 percent of the total population
The new policy drew sustained attention and extensive discussion across the cities, and has been warmly welcomed by expatriate residents.
READ MORE: SARs hail new travel policy for non-Chinese permanent residents
On Wednesday morning, some non-Chinese residents were lining up in offices of China Travel Service Limited, waiting to submit documents before going to work. Some had made online reservations in advance, and others hoped to queue up on-site. In Macao, some residents arrived at the office an hour before opening time.
In Hong Kong, only a day after the policy’s announcement, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu noted that the new policy was very well-received, with online reservations already nearly booked up.
The city is home to 270,000 non-Chinese permanent residents. According to the 2021 population census data in Hong Kong, there are nearly 620,000 ethnic minority individuals in the city, accounting for approximately 8.4 percent of the total population. This figure includes approximately 300,000 foreign domestic workers.
READ MORE: China introduces policies to facilitate citizens' travels overseas
According to local Macao media reports, the Macao government estimates around 19,500 people, which is 2.7 percent of Macao’s total population, are eligible to apply for the new travel permit. Most of these residents are Portuguese, American, or Thai.
Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com
