MACAO, July 10 -- Non-Chinese permanent residents of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) started to apply for mainland travel permits on Wednesday, with applicants having submitted documents earlier online.

China's immigration authorities announced on July 1 that starting July 10, 2024, non-Chinese permanent residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Macao SAR are eligible to apply for special travel permits to enter the Chinese mainland.

According to the National Immigration Administration, permit holders are allowed multiple entries into the mainland within a five-year validity period, with each stay not exceeding 90 days.

Anthony Cheang, a Canadian citizen who earned his permanent residence in Macao around 10 years ago, was among the first applicants. He told Xinhua that the whole process was smooth and "only took about 10 minutes."

As an airline pilot, Cheang believes the new policy opens up opportunities for him to work in the Chinese mainland.

As a lawyer of Portuguese nationality, Amelia Antonio has lived in Macao for 42 years. She was excited to apply for the travel permit because she thought it would allow her to have more contact with the mainland. "We can better explain to our friends what we see and the differences in the scenes," she told Xinhua.

Chen Jiemei, executive deputy general manager of China Travel Service (Macao) Ltd.'s travel permit center, which handles the applications, noted that to better support the new policy, the company has deployed Portuguese-speaking and English-speaking staff workers and set up four special counters.

She said that this policy facilitates the entry of non-Chinese Macao residents into the mainland for investment, family visits, sightseeing, or business trips. "It will contribute to the moderately diversified development of Macao's economy," Chen said.