Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit

Not to be confused with One-way Permit.
Hong Kong and Macao
Travel Permit
往来港澳通行证
Biometric permit (front side)
TypeTravel document
Issued by China
EligibilityChinese citizens residing in Mainland China
Expiration5 years (for people under 16 years old when applying)
10 years (for people aged 16 or over when applying)
Cost¥60
Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese往来港澳通行证
Transcriptions
Portuguese name
PortugueseSalvo-conduto de “ida e volta” para Hong Kong e Macau[1]
Exit endorsements are located on the back of the Biometric Two-way Permits.

The Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit[2][3][4][5] (alternatively known as the Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao;[6][7] colloquially as Two-way Permit[8] or EEP[9]) is a travel document issued by the Exit and Entry Administration of the People's Republic of China. This card-size biometric document is issued to Chinese citizens residing in the mainland for traveling to and returning from Hong Kong and Macau for personal purposes.

Due to the "One country, two systems" policy, Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland Chinese residents who are Chinese citizens cannot use their Chinese, Hong Kong, or Macau passports to enter their respective territories normally, even though those passports are considered legally valid travel documents. The Two-way Permit is the sole travel document for personal visit, family reunion, business, and other non-government purposes to and from the two Chinese Special Administrative Regions. Exceptions are Mainland residents who are transiting to or from a third country or region, as they can use their Chinese passports when entering Hong Kong or Macau for a stay of seven days.[10][11][12]

Physical appearance

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The new version of the permit is changed to a credit-card sized document, which also contains a biometric chip, and was first introduced in Guangdong on May 20, 2014,[13] and later issued nationally on September 15, 2014.[14] The design is similar to the Taiwan Compatriot Permit but the card's color scheme is in light blue. The personal data are directly imprinted on the front of the card while the back of the card contains heat-sensitive ink which are used to print entry endorsements.

Previous version of the permit is a passport-like booklet format, with a blue cover and the National Emblem of the People's Republic of China in gold. The words "中华人民共和国" (People's Republic of China) and "往来港澳通行证" (Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau) are displayed in simplified Chinese characters. The booklet-type permit has 32 pages for entry endorsements, and the biodata page, with the machine-readable code, is located in the back cover, unlike Chinese passports. All personal data are printed solely in Simplified Chinese, with only the name of the holder transcribed into Pinyin.

Issuing process

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Two-way Permits are issued, just like the Chinese passport, by local Exit and Entry Administrations (EEA) of local Public Security Bureaus (PSB) of their places of residence. Mainland residents must apply for a new permit in person, while exit endorsements can be obtained either through the automatic endorsement machine located in EEA offices or by mail for persons residing in Guangdong. Exit endorsements are not issued to a permit with a remaining validity of less than three months.[15]

Types of exit endorsement for Two-way Permit

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In general, a Mainland resident who is in possession of a valid EEP bearing a valid exit endorsement (Chinese: 往来港澳签注) may exit Mainland China and land in Hong Kong and Macau, with a limit of stay in accordance with the exit endorsement, provided that normal immigration requirements are met. The number of journeys permitted to Hong Kong and Macau are stated in the exit endorsement, i.e. single-journey, double-journey or multiple-journey; and every endorsement has a "valid for/until" date, which refers to the expiry of endorsement and shall not be confused with the length of stay. There are seven types of exit endorsements issued by National Immigration Administration:[16]

  • 个人旅游 G (individual visits): valid for 3 month or 1 year, single- or double- journey, maximum 7 days per visit; Shenzhen residents can have a special 1 year multiple-journey endorsement (but maximum 1 visit per week starting from April 13, 2015).[17] This type of exit endorsement is only issued to people who have hukou in 59 cities.[18] Since January 28, 2020, issuing of G endorsement is suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic,[19] but the issuing of the endorsements to Macau is resumed on August 12, 2020.[20] The issuing of G endorsements is resumed since January 8, 2023.[21]
  • 探亲 T (family reunion): to visit a sibling: valid for 3 months, single journey, maximum 14 days; to visit a parent/parent-in-law or child: ibid, or valid for 3 months, multi-entry, maximum stay 90 days.
  • 商务 S (business purpose): valid for 3 months or one year, maximum 14 days per visit. Since February 7, 2020, issuing of S endorsement is suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic,[22] but the issuing of S endorsements to Hong Kong is resumed on October 11, 2021 in Guangdong.[23] The issuing of S endorsements is resumed since January 8, 2023.[21] Since May 6, 2024, all new S endorsements' period of stay are extended from 7 days to 14 days.[24]
  • 团队旅游 L (tour group): valid for 3 month or 1 year, single- or double- journey, maximum 7 days per visit. Since January 28, 2020, issuing of L endorsement is suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic,[25] but the issuing of the endorsements to Macau is resumed on August 12, 2020.[20] The issuing of L endorsements is resumed since January 8, 2023.[21] Since May 6, 2024, the endorsements for Hengqin and Macau tour groups is introduced.[24]
  • 逗留 D (multiple exits and entries): maximum stay authorized by respective SAR immigration officers.
  • 其他 Q (other purposes of visit): valid for 3 month or 1 year, single- or double- journey, maximum 14 days per visit.
  • 人才 R (talents): valid for 5 years (excellent talents) or 3 years (science and research, cultural and education, or health talents) or 1 year (law or other talents), multiple- journey, maximum 30 days per visit. The issuing of R endorsements is started from February 20, 2023 in 9 mainland cities in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, which is opened for talents working in these cities.[26] Since May 6, 2024, talents working in Beijing and Shanghai are eligible to apply R endorsement.[24]

In addition, 奥运 A was a specially-designated endorsement for 90-day multi-entry during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Women who are more than 28 weeks pregnant and suspected to be entering Hong Kong to give birth must show a booking confirmation at a Hong Kong hospital.[27]

Exit endorsements issued to the booklet-type permit are affixed on one of the endorsement pages, similar to visas, while card-type permits have the information stored in the chip. The heat-sensitive ink in the back of the card ensures that the exit endorsements are visible to human eyes and can be re-printed by the special printer after the endorsement is used or invalid.

  • Booklet-type Two-way Permit (issued from 2000 until September 15, 2014)
    Booklet-type Two-way Permit (issued from 2000 until September 15, 2014)
  • Biodata page of a booklet-type Two-way Permit
    Biodata page of a booklet-type Two-way Permit
  • Type Q single exit endorsement on a Two-way Permit for a stay for up to 14 days
    Type Q single exit endorsement on a Two-way Permit for a stay for up to 14 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Residentes do Interior da China que possuem salvo-conduto de "ida e volta" para Hong Kong e Macau". Corpo de Polícia de Segurança Pública de Macau (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2023-07-15. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  2. ^ "Announcement of the Optimized Policies and Measures of Immigration Administration after the Downgrade of COVID-19 Management WITH MEASURES AGAINST Class B Infectious Diseases". National Immigration Administration. 2022-12-27. Archived from the original on 2024-07-31. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  3. ^ "How Do Minors Apply for Exit-Entry Documents? Lanzhou Public Security Answers Doubts". Gansu Provincial People's Government – Gansu Belt And Road Portal. 2024-07-03. Archived from the original on 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  4. ^ "Issue a motor vehicle driving license (to a holder of an expired foreign motor vehicle driving license)". Shanghai Municipal People's Government. 2020-02-23. Archived from the original on 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  5. ^ "Passports and travel permits can be handled throughout the country". Zhongshan Municipal People's Government. 2019-04-08. Archived from the original on 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  6. ^ "Visit / Transit | Immigration Department". www.immd.gov.hk. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  7. ^ "LCQ13: Persons holding Two-way Exit Permit with endorsement for visiting relatives". www.info.gov.hk. Archived from the original on 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  8. ^ "Longer business visit days welcomed". news.gov.hk. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  9. ^ "Enhanced e-Channel service arrangements for Mainland visitors | Immigration Department". www.immd.gov.hk. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  10. ^ Hong Kong Immigration Department. "Arrangement for Entry to Hong Kong from Mainland China". Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  11. ^ "Entry and Exit of Non-residents". Public Security Police Force. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  12. ^ "往来港澳通行证和签注签发服务指南". 国家移民管理局政务服务平台 (in Simplified Chinese). 2023-02-02. Archived from the original on 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  13. ^ "电子往来港澳通行证 广东明天起试点启用". Archived from the original on 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  14. ^ Guangming Daily. "电子港澳通行证15日启用 使用多项物理防伪技术". gmw.cn. Archived from the original on 2014-09-13. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
  15. ^ "广东省公安厅出入境政务服务网". Archived from the original on 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2016-06-03.
  16. ^ 往来港澳通行证签注申请须知 [Guidance for Applying for an Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau] (in Simplified Chinese). National Immigration Administration. Archived from the original on 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  17. ^ 广东省公安厅出入境管理局 (2014-07-08). "往来港澳通行证"个人旅游"签注". Archived from the original on 2019-05-20.
  18. ^ ""个人游"及签证". Archived from the original on 2016-10-23. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  19. ^ "內地赴澳門自由行簽注暫停". Metro Radio (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  20. ^ a b "关于恢复办理内地居民赴澳门旅游签注的公告". National Immigration Administration. 2020-08-11. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  21. ^ a b c "Announcement of the Optimized Policies and Measures of Immigration Administration after the Downgrade of COVID-19 Management WITH MEASURES AGAINST Class B Infectious Diseases". en.nia.gov.cn. 2022-12-27. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  22. ^ "中华人民共和国出入境管理局暂停办理疫情防控期间内地居民前往香港地区商务签注" (in Simplified Chinese). National Immigration Administration. 2020-02-07. Archived from the original on 2020-02-21. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  23. ^ "中华人民共和国出入境管理局在广东省试行恢复内地居民办理赴香港商务签注". National Immigration Administration. 2021-09-29. Archived from the original on 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  24. ^ a b c "国家移民管理局出台进一步便民利企出入境管理若干政策措施 5月6日起换发补发出入境证件可"全程网办"". National Immigration Administration. 2024-04-28. Archived from the original on 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  25. ^ "国家移民管理局暂停办理内地居民往来港澳地区旅游签注" (in Simplified Chinese). National Immigration Administration. 2020-01-28. Archived from the original on 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  26. ^ "关于在粤港澳大湾区内地城市试点实施往来港澳人才签注政策的公告". National Immigration Administration. 2023-02-09. Archived from the original on 2023-03-19. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  27. ^ Timatic Accessed July 19, 2013
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