New travel pass being issued

Application for new pass starts January 2.

The Ministry of Public Security will begin issuing a new pass for Hong Kong residents traveling to the mainland.

Beginning today, Hong Kong residents can apply for the new pass that will allow them to enter the mainland via a third country. The new pass will also extend the period of validity for people under 18 to five years from three years.

The new pass features upgraded anti-counterfeiting technology such as an embedded electronic chip, physical anti-forgery methods and digital safeguarding procedures.

The ministry said relevant policies and services for Hong Kong residents to travel to the mainland remain the same, and old passes that have not expired can still be used.

The current pass for Hong Kong and Macao residents to travel to the mainland started in 1999. In 2011, 206 million travels from Hong Kong and Macao to the mainland with the pass were registered.