As of January 8, 2023, the Immigration Administration of China has taken the following measures to optimize immigration management policies:
Passport and travel from the mainland to the Hong Kong
· Timely resumption of acceptance and examination of ordinary passport applications of Chinese traveling abroad or visiting relatives and friends;
· Visa application for Chinese Mainland citizens to visit the HKSAR for tourism or business will be resumed.
Visa service for foreigners
· Resume the review and acceptance of the issuance, extension, replacement and reissuance of foreigners' residence permits and the extension, replacement and reissuance of ordinary visas. If there is an urgent need, you can apply for expedited processing.
· Reinstated the issuance of port visas, the 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy and temporary entry permits as required by law.
· Resumption of China Entry and exit permits and border control zone entry and exit permits.
Reopen land ports and shipping lanes
· Gradually resume passenger customs clearance at land ports and canals;
· Orderly entry and exit of passengers and border residents through land ports and border passages will be resumed. Border crossings must be reopened and immigration checks carried out in accordance with the law, subject to compliance with applicable rules.
Express Channel of Hong Kong and Macao
· Restore ports adjacent to the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions;
· Holders of Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents to and from the Mainland and Permit for Mainland Residents to Travel to and from Hong Kong and Macao can pass through the rapid immigration inspection channel.
· Resume passenger customs clearance at water ports as soon as possible;
· Allow the use of maritime ports that comply with passenger immigration regulations;
· Resumption of access to certain ports for international cruise passengers;
· Temporary entry permits shall be issued to foreign crew members who meet entry requirements according to law;
· Repeal of the previous rule "preventing the boarding of persons on ships engaged in foreign navigation, preventing the disembarkation of crew members and prohibiting such ships from berthing with other ships".
· Continue to implement customs clearance facilitation measures such as "green channel" at airports for important cargo flights, "fast channel" for vehicles transporting important materials at land ports and border inspection stations, and "online self-service application for entry and exit inspection and boarding codes" at water ports.