QR code border crossing will be possible in the future

Macau ID holders will be able to undertake border crossings using a QR code generated as an auxiliary to the identification card in the future, a parliamentary committee has announced.

The First Standing Committee of the parliament is currently debating the bill for the Macau SAR Resident ID Card Legal System.

President of the committee Ella Lei told a press conference after a recent meeting that future Macau identification holders may generate a QR code on the government One Account app as a replacement for physical identification cards to facilitate border crossings.

The QR code can be used for both automatic and manual channels, with the exception of juxtaposed control points such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

Lei disclosed that the digital identifier for the identification card has already been designed. The government is largely ready to roll out the service, although it is still undergoing testing.

The committee was further informed that the test results to date reveal that border clearances using QR codes are slightly faster than traditional border clearance methods.

It is proposed in the Bill that each phone can only be used for one identifier. The committee expressed concerns over parents accompanying their children for border crossing. The government made assurances that each adult will be allowed to generate QR codes for their children for border crossings.

Lei said that the committee was assured that physical identification will prevail even with the digital identifier, which consists of the bearer’s name, identification number, sex, date of birth, validity period, picture and identification type, among other information.

It was also recommended that no entity should decline the physical identification card and residents should carry their physical card with them at all times.

Certain factors, such as constantly changing time and relocating identification number, will be introduced to the identifier for verification purposes.