Iris scan system sees high adoption at border crossings

The Public Security Police (PSP) reported over the weekend that around 300,000 residents have already registered their iris scans at the border crossings, with the automatic border crossing service using the iris scan being utilized 7.8 million times last year.

The PSP revealed that the Portas do Cerco border post, the first to adopt the iris recognition system, has seen over 40% of residents opting for the technology. Dedicated corridors for cross-border students and their parents have also been established at the Portas do Cerco, Qingmao, and Hengqin border posts, facilitating an average of 3,500 student crossings daily.

In addition to iris recognition, QR code travel between Hong Kong and Macau has gained traction, with approximately 3,600 daily users. Since its introduction, 210,000 Macau residents and 43,000 Hong Kong residents have utilized the QR code system.

Vehicle border crossings have also seen significant automation, with 77.7% of vehicles using automatic channels. At the Hengqin border post, 88.7% of traffic passed through express customs lanes.

The PSP reported progress in combating illegal immigration, with 14,554 individuals sanctioned for overstaying their visas, marking a 1.5% decrease from the previous year. Additionally, 249 illegal immigrants were expelled, a 31% drop compared to last year.

Legal actions were initiated in 36 cases of false marriages involving 78 individuals and 51 cases of false employment involving 156 people.

Immigration authorization services also saw growth, with approximately 17,000 new and renewal applications for foreign domestic workers submitted through the “Single Entry Authorization” platform, representing over half of all applications and a 34% annual increase. Victoria Chan