试点启用电子往来港澳通行证

New digital ID cards for people who commute back-and-forth from the mainland and Macau and Hong Kong are being handed out starting Tuesday.

The new cards are going to eventually replace the paper permits currently in use.

Guangdong, which is adjacent to both Hong Kong and Macau, is the first province to pilot the new permits.

The new IDs are similar to an e-passport, with an integrated circuit chip containing your personal information and other security measures.

The new cards are expected to speed up the application process and shorten the time spent at the checkpoints to as little as 10 seconds.

"It usually takes two or three hours at the checkpoint. I arrive in Hong Kong in the afternoon even if I get up early in the morning. "

"I will visit Hong Kong more often if the process is easier and more convenient."

The e-permits will also be valid for 10-years instead of the current 5 for people over 16-years old.
For those under 16, the permit will still be valid for five years.

It hasn't been said when new card will be put into use in other cities and provinces on the mainland.