Passengers wait at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on April 29, 2023. Photo: Courtesy of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

China will fully resume the quick customs clearance at ports starting from Monday in a bid to facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign travelers and promote the opening-up to the world.

Optimization measures released by the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on Thursday indicate that the country's international travels that were hindered due to COVID-19 will be restored to pre-epidemic levels. 

A wide range of residents can enjoy quick customs clearance at ports, including Chinese residents holding Chinese passports, the permit for travel to and from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs), the permit for travel to and from the mainland for residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the NIA release said.

Foreigners who hold foreign passports, permanent residence permits, foreign electronic passports and residence permits for foreigners for more than six months and Chinese crew members working on scheduled international flights and foreign crew members who are visa-free or have obtained flight attendants can go through the express channel of border inspection.

Mainland residents can apply for permits for travelling, working, group tours or visiting relatives to and from Hong Kong and Macao SARs at any exit and entry control window of public security organs in China, regardless of their registered permanent residence.

The same polices apply on residents who seek to apply ordinary passports, and visas for travelling to and from Taiwan, according to the NIA.

Mainland resident may apply to visit their relatives who have settled, lived for a long time, studied or worked in Hong Kong or Macao. The range of relatives include their spouses, parents or parents of spouses, children or spouses of children, brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren, it said.

A short-stay permit open to mainland residents who have been approved by relevant authorities in Hong Kong and Macao to take up a stay in the SARs, study, employment, residence or training, or go to Hong Kong to depend on their relatives as dependants. 

Mainland residents who apply to travel to Hong Kong or Macao for special reasons such as medical treatment, litigation, disposal of property, taking examinations, academic exchanges, visiting critically ill patients, attending funerals may apply for other types of visas to go to Hong Kong or Macao.

Students who study in Macao can receive a residency visa whose validity period is the same as the period of study specified in the Admission Confirmation Certificate issued by the competent department of education in Macao.

Global Times