To further simplify the entry and exit procedures for the Macao and Hong Kong residents between the two regions, the governments of Macao SAR and Hong Kong SAR have reached a consensus on mutual facilitation. Today, the Secretary for Administration and Justice of the Macao SAR, Ms. Florinda da Rosa Silva Chan, and the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, Mr. John Tsang Chun-wah, signed the “Agreement between the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China on Entry and Exit with Permanent Resident Identity Card and Mutual Exemption from Filling in the Arrival/Departure Card”. This labels a new chapter on the immigration cooperation between the two regions. 1.Facilitation Measures The agreement embodies the principle of reciprocal privilege. The Macao residents can enjoy the following facilitation when entering the Hong Kong SAR: （1）Eligible Macao Permanent Residents possessing electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card can enter and exit the Hong Kong SAR as visitors without producing any other travel documents or filling in any arrival/departure card. （2） Eligible Macao Permanent Residents, aged eleven or above, can voluntarily enrol in advance for using the Automated Passenger Clearance System (e-Channel) to enter and exit the Hong Kong SAR with their valid Electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card. Note: The abovementioned persons shall be given a printed entry record. The record should be properly kept and be produced upon the request of law enforcement officials of the Hong Kong SAR. The loss of such record will not affect the conditions and period of stay in Hong Kong or the departure. If a person needs to reprint the record, he/she can proceed to the Extension Section of the Hong Kong Immigration Department located at Wanchai. 2.For People Required a Prior Visa to Enter Hong Kong SAR Pursuant to the existing Hong Kong SAR immigration requirements, nationals of certain countries are required to obtain a visa in prior before entering the Hong Kong SAR. These individuals, though possessing a valid electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card, are still subject to prior assessment and approval in order to enjoy the abovementioned facilitations. The Identification Services Bureau will send the relevant personal information to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for prior assessment, and convey the assessment result to those individuals. At present, a total of 126 electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card holders have not yet completed the abovementioned assessment. 3.Prior Enrollment Needed for Using Automated Passenger Clearance System (e-Channel) to Enter and Exit Hong Kong SAR Macao SAR Permanent Resident Card holders, aged eleven or above, can voluntarily enrol in advance for using e-Channel to enter and exit the Hong Kong SAR with their valid Electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card. （1）i. The eligible Macao SAR Permanent Resident Card holders, aged 18 or above, can proceed to the enrollment office of the Hong Kong Immigration Department located at Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan (the arrival hall area before going through the immigration) and China-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui (the arrival hall area after going through the immigration). These people can enter and exit Hong Kong by using e-Channel in 15 minutes after successful enrollment. ii. Prior enrollment can also be made at the self-service kiosks located at the ground floor of China Plaza, departure halls of Macao Ferry Terminal and Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal. In the preliminary stage, there will be staffs arranged by Identification Services Bureau to assist the residents for using the kiosks to complete the enrollment procedures during office hours. Upon the agreement of the applicant, the Identification Services Bureau will retrieve the identity card number, name, gender, date of birth, date of issuance, date of validity and facial image from the chip in the electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card, and collect the fingerprint feature data with the kiosk at the time of enrollment. Such data will be transferred to the Hong Kong Immigration Department through a secured network in encrypted format and with digital signature. Besides, such data will not be saved in the kiosk but directly stored in the server of Identification Services Bureau through a private wire after encryption. Normally, residents can enter and exit the HKSAR by using e-Channel five working days after successful registration. （2）Eligible Macao SAR Permanent Residents, aged eleven to under eighteen, must make their application in person with their parent, guardian or legal representative at the enrollment office of Hong Kong Immigration located at Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and China-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Shui. These people can enter and exit Hong Kong by using e-Channel in 15 minutes after successful enrollment. Following documents must be presented at the time of application:
1.Identification documents of the applicant and the parent/guardian/legal representative; 2.Birth certificate of the applicant; 3.Documentary proof of parenting right or guardianship execution if the applicant enrolls with a guardian (in case the original document is written in Portuguese, a Chinese/English translation has to be provided). （3）For cancellation of the enrollment for using e-Channel, the person has to lodge his/her application at the entry and exit port of the Hong Kong SAR. 4.Effective Date and Ports of Entry and Exit The measure of exemption from filling arrival/departure card will become effective at all ports of Hong Kong simultaneously. The eligible Macao SAR Permanent Resident Card holders can enter and exit Hong Kong at the designated immigration counter equipped with the record printers. Those counters can be identified according to a sign of “Macao Residents”. Subject to the availability of devices and facilities, e-Channel will become effective at different ports of entry and exit at various stages. E-Channel located at Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and China-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui can be used in the preliminary stage. These two facilitation measures will become effective from 10 December 2009.
