Passport applications to resume as immigration measures optimized

Following the downgrading of COVID-19 into Category B, the policies and measures of the immigration administration will be optimized from January 8 to promote international exchanges, the National Immigration Administration said on Tuesday.

Chinese citizens' applications for ordinary passports for tourism purposes as well as for visiting friends and relatives abroad and for mainland residents to visit Hong Kong will be resumed, according to the announcement.

Meanwhile, foreigners' applications for the extension, renewal and re-issuance of ordinary visas, the issuance, renewal and re-issuance of residence permits will also be resumed, including urgent services, the NIA said.

Additionally, the issuance of port visas and temporary entry permits, and the implementation of the 24-hour, 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit policy will recommence, as will the issuance of exit-entry permits in China and border control areas, it added.

The NIA will also restart passenger clearance of land ports/channels and water ports and reopen fast channels in ports adjacent to the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions.

At the same time, the implementation of the facilitation measures used at water ports and others will be continued.

From January 8, China will stop requiring inbound travelers to go into quarantine, the National Health Commission announced on Monday in a major step toward easing COVID-19 restrictions on the country's borders, which have generally been shut since 2020.