Hong Kong travelers can now cross border with single document at upgraded Huanggang Port

Travellers will no longer need to present both documents when crossing into the mainland through the upgraded Huanggang Port, with authorities accepting either a Hong Kong identity card or home return permit at automated gates.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung disclosed the arrangement on Saturday following a large-scale operational drill that tested the border facility's readiness. The checkpoint, which could begin operations next month, represents a significant shift in cross-border clearance procedures.

Single-document clearance at e-channels

"Residents using e-channels to enter the mainland or return to Hong Kong can use the Hong Kong identity card or the home return permit, whichever they prefer," Tang said after the exercise. The policy emerged from the latest agreement between Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities.

More than 20,000 civil servants participated in Saturday's drill, the largest simulation conducted to date, designed to test the facility under peak-capacity conditions.

New 'joint clearance' system

Huanggang Port will become the first checkpoint to implement a "joint clearance" model, processing both departure and arrival formalities at a single location. Under this system, passengers complete all immigration procedures at one checkpoint and submit only one travel document at either automatic or manual counters, eliminating the need to pass through separate processing stations.

The revamped facility is designed to handle 200,000 passenger trips daily.

Source: South China Morning Post