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Beginning Wednesday (November 5), mainland professionals holding official talent certification will be eligible for multiple-entry permits to Hong Kong and Macau, valid for one to five years. The policy applies to residents across the Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and all national free trade zones.
Eligible applicants include top professionals in fields such as scientific research, education and culture, healthcare, law, and other recognized sectors, who must obtain certification from relevant talent authorities.
In addition, mainland professionals working in the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone will be granted three-year, multiple-entry permits to Hong Kong and Macau without needing to provide separate talent verification.
Starting November 20, visitors holding family visit permits for Hong Kong or Macau may apply to renew the same type of permit through China Travel Service (Hong Kong) or China Travel Service (Macau) at least seven working days before their authorized stay expires.
Expanded smart clearance and Taiwan travel facilitation
Twelve ports, including Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Zhuhai Hengqin, and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, will introduce facial-recognition smart clearance services starting Wednesday. The system will match the automated clearance already in use at Shenzhen Bay and Zhuhai Gongbei checkpoints, available to holders of Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macau residents and Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan residents.
The National Immigration Administration will also expand cross-strait travel facilitation beginning November 20. An additional 42 ports across the mainland will be authorized to issue Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan residents.
Taiwan residents without such documents will be able to apply for a single-entry permit upon arrival at these designated ports, including Huanggang, Luohu, Zhuhai Port, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, and Gongbei.
From the same date, mainland residents may apply for family visit permits to Taiwan at any county-level or higher public security immigration office nationwide, rather than being restricted to their place of household registration.