My Real Experience Applying for a Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit in Chengdu
First, let me share my personal situation. My household registration is in a small city in Sichuan, but I work in Chengdu. Recently, I planned to visit Hong Kong, so I needed to prepare a Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit and visa in advance. As far as I know, the permit can be processed in a different location without returning to my household registration area. I made an appointment via the "Immigration" mini-program and successfully obtained the permit. I am sharing my real experience here as a reference for those in need. However, policies may vary over time and by region, so please confirm with actual regulations.
Appointment
Search for the "Immigration" mini-program on Alipay or WeChat, then click "Appointment Processing."
You will be asked to enter your name, ID number, and other information, then select a nearby office for the appointment. Please note the following:
- It is recommended to make an appointment at least one week in advance to avoid high demand and unavailable slots.
- You must select both "Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit" and "Visa" as the document types.
- Visa type: I chose individual tourism, with a frequency of once a year or twice a year.
- Choose between mail delivery or self-pickup based on your situation. I chose self-pickup; mail delivery may incur additional fees.
On the scheduled time, go to the appointed office for processing. Bring your ID card. You do not need to bring a photo, but note that your clothing should not be white or blue, as the background is white or blue.
Processing
The process in Chengdu is as follows, though procedures may vary by region. Please confirm with actual regulations.
First, take a photo at the self-service machine. You can choose between a "white background" or "blue background" photo. I chose the white background, as it looks more consistent with the permit's background, while the blue background appears a bit out of place. Since I made an appointment for the morning, there were many people, and the photo queue lasted over half an hour.
After taking the photo, go to the service desk, inform the staff that you have made an appointment and completed the photo. Show your ID card and appointment record, then they will check you in. Wait for your number to be called at the counter.
At the counter, the staff asked if I was not going to Macau. I confirmed, so they only processed the Hong Kong visa, not the Macau visa. They also recorded my fingerprints and printed a receipt. Keep this receipt safe.
Use the receipt to scan and pay at the self-service machine. The processing fee is 75 RMB, and payment can be made via WeChat, Alipay, or bank card.
Other Notes
If your household registration is not local (not Chengdu) but you have moved your hukou to Chengdu, staff may ask you to provide:
- Property ownership proof (can be printed at their self-service machines).
- Social security payment records. In Chengdu, you can query and export this via the "Tianfu Citizen Cloud" app, then print it outside.
If you fall into these categories, it is recommended to print the social security records in advance to avoid delays.
Collecting the Permit
It takes about 3 days at the fastest, or up to 2 weeks at the slowest. During this period, you can check the progress via the "Immigration" mini-program. Possible statuses include:
- Pending Review
- Currently Being Produced
- Ready for Pickup
- No Relevant Data
If the status changes from "Currently Being Produced" to "No Relevant Data" after some time, do not panic. This is because there is a centralized production center. The permit has been produced but not yet distributed to local offices. Once the office receives it, the status will update to "Ready for Pickup."
When the status shows "Ready for Pickup," bring your ID card and receipt (as a backup) to the self-service machine at the office to scan your ID and collect the permit. If you chose mail delivery, wait for the courier to contact you.
The Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit looks similar to an ID card:
Timeline Summary
- Appointment: August 29
- Processing: September 5
- Collection: September 13
Conclusion
If you plan to visit Hong Kong, it is recommended to complete the Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit and visa application at least one month in advance to avoid high demand, which could affect the processing speed and cause delays. This is my real experience applying for a Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit in Chengdu. Procedures may vary by region, so please confirm with actual regulations.