20th March 2025 – (Beijing) The Chinese immigration authority has announced that, effective Thursday, 20th March, residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan will be able to apply online for temporary travel permits to mainland China. This new measure also includes a verification service linking these travel permits with residence permits.
Under the new provisions, residents from the region who have lost, damaged, or forgotten their permits yet need to urgently travel by plane or train within mainland cities can log onto the Chinese immigration management service platform (National Immigration Administration Government Service Platform 12367) via mobile phone to apply for a temporary electronic travel permit, valid for seven days. This will facilitate checks by airlines and railway services, ensuring that their travel plans are not disrupted.
Additionally, for residents needing to demonstrate the connection between their travel and residence permits for personal affairs, they can submit a verification request through the same platform or request documentation from any immigration management agency at the county level or above across the nation. This will help affirm the relationship between the two permits when dealing with relevant departments and enterprises.
To date, the Chinese immigration authority has provided over 40 types of facilitative services across ten key sectors, including transport, finance, and telecommunications, offering real-time verification to over 100 million individuals. Looking ahead, the authority aims to address the evolving needs of residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, enhancing border policy offerings to facilitate their integration and development within mainland China. This initiative is part of broader efforts to support the engagement of these regions with national development strategies, fostering cross-strait integration.
