Beijing extends SARs’ mainland travel permits

Beijing has extended the expiration date of mainland travel permits for eligible Hong Kong and Macau residents as from yesterday, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced.

The validity of the eligible mainland travel permits with an expiration date between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2023, will be extended until Dec. 31, 2023.

The extension will enable permit holders to travel to and from the mainland using normal entry and exit inspection procedures, the NIA said.

The country’s immigration authority said it recognized there was a surge in demand for travel between the special administrative regions and the mainland now that border ports have resumed normal services.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many residents from the two special administrative regions have been unable to renew their permits in a timely manner, and have faced long queues at visa offices, NIA has acknowledged.

As cited in a South China Morning Post report, the announcement came after Hong Kong’s China Travel Service (CTS) offices, which issue permits and visas for trips to the mainland, struggled to deal with an influx of new applications after the border fully reopened in February.

CTS stopped accepting walk-in requests and required all applicants to secure an appointment online first, according to the report. Booking slots have been snatched up four months in advance, while new slots made available at midnight would be swiftly taken within minutes. Staff Reporter