The National Immigration Administration has announced that starting from October 10 Hong Kong and Macau residents will not need to return to their city for renewing or replacing to apply for renewal or replacement for their Mainland Travel Permit, also known as Home Return Permits, according to China News Service.
Starting from that period SAR residents will be able to apply or renew the permits in any county-level city‘s Entry-exit Administration of Ministry of Public Security.
The permit serves as a legal entry-exit document for Hong Kong and Macau residents to travel to and from the Mainland, and also works as proof of identity, and previously SAR residents would have to return to Hong Kong and Macau to apply for reissuance of the permit.
The new policy is part of efforts to increase integration between the two SARs and the Greater Bay Area region, with application procedures and documents required the same as before the new policy.
According to Chinese authorities, in 2019 some 215 million crossings from people from Hong Kong and Macau to and from the mainland were reported.
