An elderly man is inquiring about the application. Photo by Zou Xin
“I have been keeping an eye on the availability of endorsement for Hong Kong travel. So I came here early this morning.” At 10∶00am on January 9, Mr. Shi arrived at the Household and ID Card Service Center of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau Jiangbei Branch for travel permits to Hong Kong. He had already made a travel plan with his friends before this visit.
“我一直在关注香港签注什么时候可以办理，今天一早就过来了。”1月9日上午10时，市民施先生来到宁波市公安局江北分局户口证件办理中心，办理赴香港旅游签注。他和朋友已经做好了出行规划，希望尽快成行。
On January 9, the first working day after the Ningbo Public Security Bureau released ten measures to facilitate border control, the entry-exit service windows of the Household and ID Card Service Center of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau Jiangbei Branch were teeming with residents applying for entry-and-exit permits. As Wang Guilian——Deputy director of the application center——revealed, “Our center sees a surge of applicants coming, and most of them apply for passports and travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao.”
1月9日是宁波市公安局推出十项出入境便利化措施后的首个工作日，宁波市公安局江北分局户口证件办理中心出入境窗口排满了办理业务的市民。该办理中心副主任王桂莲告诉记者：“最近来大厅办理业务的人流量陡增，主要是办理护照和赴香港、澳门旅游签注的。”
Currently, travel endorsement for Macao can be obtained from self-service machines, and eligible residents with necessary qualifications can bring their valid entry permit to apply for endorsement on the machines. Endorsement for Hong Kong travel requires a service window for application and is currently only open to Ningbo natives or non-natives who own Ningbo residence permits. It takes no more than 7 working days for the former group of people and no more than 20 working days for the latter.
目前澳门签注开放智能签注，符合条件的市民只需本人带上有效的通行证，在智能签注机自助办理即可。香港签注则需人工窗口办理，目前只受理宁波户籍人员和持有居住证的非宁波户籍人员的签注业务。宁波户籍人员签发时限为7个工作日，持有居住证的非宁波户籍人员签发时限为20日。
Approving of normal passports for overseas tourism and visiting friends has also been resumed. For Ningbo natives, the approval will be issued within 7 working days, and for those non-natives with residence permits of Ningbo within 20 working days.
另据了解，因出国旅游、访友申请普通护照，目前也已有序恢复受理审批，签发时限为：宁波户籍人员为7个工作日，非宁波户籍人员为20日。
As the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit is approaching, Hong Kong, Macao and other overseas travel will remain highly popular. Wang therefore cautioned anyone with a plan of overseas travelling during this holiday to ensure that they have an understanding of entry regulations and any epidemic-prevention policies of destinations prior to their itinerary planning.
随着春节假期临近，市民赴港澳游、境外游有望持续走热。在此，王桂莲也特别提醒大家，如果春节期间计划赴港澳游或出境游，一定要提前充分了解目的地入境规定和相关防疫政策，合理规划行程。
“For those people who have no current travel plans, we suggest that they hold off applying for entry-exit permits and start their application 2-3 months in advance. Meanwhile, citizens are recommended to contact the exit-entry services beforehand to obtain the necessary requirements, in case of possible disqualifications or missing of application materials that would affect the application process.”
“对于近期无出行计划的群众，我们建议暂缓办理相关出入境证件，可以在有行程计划前2到3个月再办理。同时也建议市民在前往出入境证件办理窗口前，先拨打全市各出入境窗口咨询电话，提前了解办证条件和所需提供的材料，以免因条件不符或者材料不全无法办理。”
Among the ten entry-exit facilitation measures taking effect since January 8, 2023, are simplifying the application of business passports, supporting Hong Kong-bound business activities, rolling out the system of “whitelist” and “police-enterprise liaison officer”, keeping the “green channel” open and streamlined, resuming service on Saturdays, putting into use the self-service machines for visa issuance across Ningbo, launching the online services of "Zhejiang Immigration", implementing convenient visa-application services to foreigners, offering quick visa application at airports and ports, and setting up emergency service channels for the entry of Taiwan compatriots.
据介绍，宁波市公安局自1月8日起，推出十项出入境便利化措施，包括精简商务类护照办理手续、支持赴港开展商务活动、推出“白名单” “警企联络官”制度、畅通绿色服务通道、恢复周六办证服务、全面启用智能签注设备、开展“浙里移民”线上便利服务、提供外国人签证证件办理便利服务、开展机场口岸签证快捷办理、开通台胞入境紧急服务通道。
The Household and ID Card Service Center of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau Jiangbei Branch will, as Wang highlighted in the interview, act in accordance with the 10 measures and provide favorable services to local enterprises that are planning to join major investment projects of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), expand international markets, participate in business negotiations, and attend important meetings. It will open exclusive service windows for business personnel, and provide differentiated services, be they emergent or special. “The processing time for business passports will be shortened from 7 working days to 5 working days and will be further shortened to 3 working days for emergencies. Enterprises and their subordinates who have completed the business registration and record filing can apply for business endorsement as soon as Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland fully resume customs clearance.
王桂莲表示，宁波市公安局江北分局户口证件办理中心将根据宁波市十项出入境便利化措施内容，为我市赴境外参与“一带一路”重点投资项目、拓展国际市场、参加商务谈判或重要会议等活动的企业，拓展窗口绿色通道服务范围，开设商务人员办证专窗，急事急办、特事特办。“因商务事由申请护照的，办证时限由7个工作日缩短至5个工作日，符合紧急事由的，办证时限缩短至3个工作日。已办理完成商务登记备案企业及所属人员，可在香港和内地全面开放通关后第一时间申请商务签注。”