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New travel convenience measures for Hong Kong and Macau residents will be introduced tomorrow (December 10).
This follows the promulgation of the Memorandum on "Entry and Exit with Permanent Resident Identity Card and Mutual Exemption from furnishing Arrival/Departure Cards" signed by the Special Administrative Region Governments of Hong Kong and Macao. The facilitations include:
(a) Holders of valid Hong Kong permanent identity cards or Hong Kong identity cards containing '*', '***' or 'R' symbol can continue using their Hong Kong identity cards to travel to Macau but they do not need to furnish arrival/departure cards upon immigration clearance in Macau. Hong Kong permanent identity card holders under the age of 11 should also carry other identification documents with photograph of the holder issued by the Director of Immigration (e.g. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport) as supporting proof of identity apart from the Hong Kong identity cards;
(b) Hong Kong residents 11 years and older who have successfully enrolled may use the Macau Automated Passenger Clearance System (autogates) at the Exterior Harbour Control Point and the Border Gate Control Point upon entering or exiting Macau.
Hong Kong residents 11 years and older may attend the Enrolment Office specially set up inside the Immigration Hall and in the area before Immigration clearance at the Exterior Harbour Control Point or Taipa Ferry Terminal to enrol for the service. Once enrolled, they may use the Macau autogates.
Those aged 18 or above may also use the self-enrolment kiosks set up by the Hong Kong Immigration Department at the Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Hong Kong Immigration Department will deploy staff to assist applicants. After completion of the enrolment process in Hong Kong, applicants may normally use the Macau autogates within five working days.
Hong Kong or Macau permanent residents or holders of Hong Kong identity cards containing '*', '***' or 'R' symbol who have not enrolled for the e-Channel/autogates service may continue to use conventional immigration counters by showing their identity cards.
Ends/Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:08
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