Mainlanders will find it easier to get visas for Hong Kong and
Macao special administrative regions (SARs) from now on, according
to a statement released by the Ministry of Public Security
Wednesday.
The reason for the change in procedures is to meet the needs
resulting from the increasing demand for economic, cultural and
personnel exchanges between the mainland and the SARs, according to
the ministry's Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration.
Also, new visas and visa registration procedures for the SARs will
be used to replace the old ones to counter forgery and to meet the
demands of the changing situation.
Statistics indicated that in 2001 more than 2.46 million mainland
citizens entered and left the SARs, three times the figures for
1997, said an official with the bureau who preferred not to be
named.
The number will further rise as a result of China's accession into
the World Trade Organization and expanding cooperation between
enterprises, said the official.
In
addition to relative visiting and tourist visas, which were the
only ones available to mainlanders for entry into Hong Kong before
1997, they can now apply for another six kinds of visas, including
business, training, work and study, said the official.
In
connection with this, the bureau decided to adopt a series of
reforms of visa procedures for mainland citizens' short-term visits
to the SARs.
A
mainland citizen can apply for a relative-visiting visa if his/her
relatives are living, studying or working in either of the SARs;
and the visas fall into three categories: once a month, once in
three months and three-month multiple-entry visas, according to the
bureau.
Application procedures for business visas for the SARs will be
simplified to attract more enterprises and institutes from the
mainland to conduct commerce, and the business visas will be good
for once a fortnight, three months multiple-entry, one year or
three years.
To
lure more tourists, visas will be given to those above 60 or under
14, who can apply at local exit-entry administration bureaus even
if they are members of transient households. Overseas Chinese who
have returned to the mainland can apply for passes or visas for
SARs at local exit-entry authorities.
(China
Daily May 30, 2002)