China to optimize immigration administration policies

China's National Immigration Administration issued a statement saying it will optimize immigration management policies from Jan 8, 2023, to adapt to the new situation and requirements in the new stage of epidemic prevention and control.

Immigration authorities will resume acceptance and examination of Chinese citizens' application for ordinary passports for traveling or visiting friends abroad in an orderly manner. The processing of endorsements for Chinese mainland residents to visit the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for tourism and business purposes will be resumed from then, it said.

The businesses of the ordinary visa, stay and residence documents for foreigners will be resumed. The expedited procedures may be applied for applicants with an urgent need, it said.

It said the port visa issuance, the implementation of the 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy and the issuance of temporary entry permits will be resumed.

The issuance of exit and entry permit of the People's Republic of China and the issuance of exit and entry permit for the border control area will be resumed. The land ports, channels and corridors for passenger clearance and border residents will resume in an orderly manner, and border inspections will be conducted in accordance with the law, it said.

The fast channels in ports adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao will be restored, allowing residents from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao with qualified documents to go through the channels, it said.

The statement said that the passenger clearance of water ports will gradually resume and allow the liner passengers to exit and entry through water ports that meet relevant requirements.

Pilots will be set to resume the entry and exit of international cruise passengers, and issue temporary entry permits to the foreign crew who meet entry requirements. The previous regulation of "restricting personnel from embarking on vessels engaged in international voyages, restricting crew members of these vessels from disembarking, and restricting these vessels from berthing alongside other vessels" will be canceled, it said.

The facilitation measures, including the operation of "green passages" for key cargo flights at air ports, "fast channels" at land ports and immigration inspection stations for vehicles carrying key supplies, online self-application of "immigration inspection boarding code" used at water ports, will continue to implement, it said.