News
Passport chip to make travel easier
By Liu Lu (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-22 09:16
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Beijing is planning to issue electronic passports to residents this year in a bid to improve the accuracy and efficiency of entry and exit customs clearance.
While the change will be made later this year, so far there is no firm date for the introduction of the hi-tech document.
The new passports will look the same as traditional passports but an electronic chip, bearing the personal information of the passport holder - including name, gender, date of birth, passport number, photos and fingerprints - will be embedded into the cover of the new generation of passport.
The public security bureau said 40 digital anti-counterfeiting security measures will be included in the e-passport to prevent personal information leakage. Only authorized institutions will be able to read the personal information stored on the chip.
The bureau said the introduction of the new type of passport will ensure the security and credibility of passports by effectively preventing them from being forged or duplicated.
Another benefit of the new electronic passports will be that passengers will be able to enjoy faster clearance through a self-service immigration clearance system, said the bureau.
"It's great news. The e-passport will allow passengers to do self-service immigration clearance, which means it will not be necessary for us to wait in long queues for clearance," said a woman surnamed Zhang who lives in Beijing and works in Hong Kong.
"I am frequently on business trips to the mainland and my temporary electronic Hong Kong ID card has saved me a lot of trouble getting in and out of Hong Kong," she said. "I hope my new Chinese e-passport will be as convenient and safe as my temporary Hong Kong e-ID Card and make my outbound travels more convenient and quick."
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"If the new passport will allow faster clearance and bring us more convenience, why not update other travel certificates, such as the passport to Hong Kong and Macao?" said a woman surnamed Fan who was renewing her passport at the Beijing Exit and Entry Administration Office in Dongzhimen.
But other Beijingers were not so sure the e-passport will make much difference.
According to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, the application procedure for the e-passport will be the same as for a traditional passport.
After the launch of the e-passport, passengers will be able to continue using their old passports until they expire.
The e-passports will have 48 pages. Eight will be used for personal information and data and the remaining 40 will carry images of China as backgrounds, including sights of the Great Wall, Tian'anmen Square, the Temple of Heaven and other landmarks.
The move is also aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau told Beijing Youth Daily.