Residents with lost papers to face speedy clearance next year

Macau and Hong Kong authorities are planning to implement a simplified reporting mechanism for residents of the SARs that lose their travel documents while travelling in the two territories.
Under the new arrangement, a resident from Macau who loses his/her travel documents in Hong Kong will be permitted to circumvent an application process that hitherto required the submission of documentation to multiple departments.
Now the application for permission to depart can be made directly at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan, or the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui.
In addition, Hong Kong residents that lose their travel documents in Macau will be able to receive a similar service at the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal or the Pac On Temporary Ferry Terminal at Taipa.
Those Macau residents who are currently registered with the automated immigration clearance service in Hong Kong will have the option of a speedy identity verification and clearance process, if they grant permission to authorities to cross-reference the applicant’s details.
At present there are around 220,000 Macau residents registered for the automated clearance service in Hong Kong, while 1.5 million Hong Kong residents have enrolled in Macau’s equivalent service, according to information from the Government Information Bureau.
The new measure is envisioned for implementation in the first quarter of 2016.