The National Immigration Administration (NIA) released a sweeping, 10-point policy package on 6 November designed to make cross-border mobility faster and more predictable for both foreign visitors and mainland residents. The headline change is the nationwide roll-out of the Talent Exit-Endorsement—previously limited to Beijing, Shanghai and the Greater Bay Area—which lets qualified R&D, healthcare, legal and other high-skill professionals travel repeatedly to Hong Kong or Macao for up to five years, staying a maximum of 30 days per trip. By extending the scheme to the entire Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei corridor and every Free-Trade Zone, Beijing is signalling that talent circulation is now central to its high-quality-development agenda.
The announcement also streamlines family-visit endorsements for mainlanders with relatives in Taiwan. From this week, applicants can file at any county-level exit-entry bureau—no longer restricted to their hukou (household-registration) location. The change eliminates long return trips and should shorten processing times to under seven working days, according to officials.
![China Unveils 10-Point Immigration Package to Deepen National ‘Opening-Up’]()
Technology features heavily. “Facial-recognition” e-gates that debuted at Shenzhen Bay and Zhuhai Gongbei ports will be deployed at 15 additional airports, ferry terminals and land crossings, including Shanghai Hongqiao, Guangzhou Pazhou and multiple Shenzhen checkpoints. Mainland residents, Hong Kong/Macao permanent residents and Taiwan compatriots who opt-in can clear immigration in under 20 seconds—critical for commuters and same-day business travellers.
Innovation hubs get bespoke perks. In the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Co-operation Zone, mainland researchers can now obtain three-year multiple-entry talent endorsements without presenting separate talent certificates, while start-ups are exempt from the usual tax-payment proof when filing for Hong Kong/Macao business-visit permits. Observers say the measures align with Beijing’s goal of turning Hetao into the “Silicon Valley of the GBA” and encourage one-hour-door-to-door commutes between labs on either side of the border.
For multinationals, the 10-point plan means shorter lead times for project-based secondees, simplified border hops for R&D teams and more predictable travel for China-based expatriates whose families reside in Hong Kong or Taiwan. Companies should review internal travel-approval workflows quickly: once local PSB offices incorporate the new rules, demand for endorsement slots is expected to spike.
The announcement also streamlines family-visit endorsements for mainlanders with relatives in Taiwan. From this week, applicants can file at any county-level exit-entry bureau—no longer restricted to their hukou (household-registration) location. The change eliminates long return trips and should shorten processing times to under seven working days, according to officials.
Technology features heavily. “Facial-recognition” e-gates that debuted at Shenzhen Bay and Zhuhai Gongbei ports will be deployed at 15 additional airports, ferry terminals and land crossings, including Shanghai Hongqiao, Guangzhou Pazhou and multiple Shenzhen checkpoints. Mainland residents, Hong Kong/Macao permanent residents and Taiwan compatriots who opt-in can clear immigration in under 20 seconds—critical for commuters and same-day business travellers.
Innovation hubs get bespoke perks. In the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Co-operation Zone, mainland researchers can now obtain three-year multiple-entry talent endorsements without presenting separate talent certificates, while start-ups are exempt from the usual tax-payment proof when filing for Hong Kong/Macao business-visit permits. Observers say the measures align with Beijing’s goal of turning Hetao into the “Silicon Valley of the GBA” and encourage one-hour-door-to-door commutes between labs on either side of the border.
For multinationals, the 10-point plan means shorter lead times for project-based secondees, simplified border hops for R&D teams and more predictable travel for China-based expatriates whose families reside in Hong Kong or Taiwan. Companies should review internal travel-approval workflows quickly: once local PSB offices incorporate the new rules, demand for endorsement slots is expected to spike.
