‘Smart Immigration Clearance’ available at one-stop lanes of Hengqin Port from May 7

The “Smart Immigration Clearance” method will be added to the One-stop Joint Services Lanes at Hengqin Port from May 7 (Thursday), the Public Security Police Force (PSP) informed in a press statement.

The decision to add the service was said to follow consultations between the relevant units of Macau and Hengqin, aimed at continuously improving service and facilitating border crossings between the two sides.

According to the PSP, “this marks a new step in the smart development of Hengqin Port and further enhances the facilitation standards for cross-boundary travel between Macau and Hengqin.”

The Smart Immigration Clearance system was first used in the joint inspection automated channels installed at the Passenger Inspection Hall and the Immigration Clearance Hall for On-board Passengers at Hengqin Port in November last year. After six months of implementation, according to the PSP, the system has proven stable and reliable, prompting further expansion.

The same source noted that as of April 30, more than 280,000 eligible individuals had registered for this service, and the number of passengers who used the service exceeded 4,660,000, accounting for about 35% of the overall number of users of the joint inspection automated channels.

With the current expansion, drivers passing through the lanes do not need to present their physical identity documents for immigration clearance; instead, they are required to complete dual biometric verification of their fingerprints and facial features, increasing efficiency and reducing the time required for clearance.

Smart Immigration Clearance at the One-stop Joint Services Lanes is applicable to four categories of drivers. These include Macau residents holding a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents (including non-Chinese citizens) who have registered for the mainland’s automated clearance service.

It also applies to Hong Kong permanent residents holding the same permit (including non-Chinese citizens) who have registered for automated clearance services in both the mainland and Macau. Mainland residents are also eligible if they hold a valid Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau with multiple-entry endorsements – including stay (D), visiting relatives (T), business visit (S), talents (T), or other purposes (Q) – and have authorized Macau authorities to access their fingerprint data during the application process.

In addition, residents from Taiwan holding a five-year Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents are eligible, provided they have registered for the automated clearance services of both the mainland and Macau.

Registration procedures

To use the document-free clearance service at the One-stop Joint Services Lanes, all drivers are required to complete registration, even if they have registered for the Smart Immigration Clearance service at the joint inspection automated channels or at the traditional vehicular lanes at other mainland ports.

When going through immigration clearance formalities at the One-stop Joint Services Lanes at Hengqin Port, eligible drivers should present their valid identity documents according to the instructions shown on the “one-step personal data collection kiosk.”

After completing the fingerprint and facial feature verification, they should read the “declaration of the registration for Smart Immigration Clearance at One-stop Joint Services Lanes” carefully and tap the “Agree” button.

The registration consent is transmitted to the Macau and mainland frontier inspection authorities simultaneously for record filing.