Hong Kong’s Immigration Department has confirmed that it will switch on the city’s first fully contact-free immigration lanes—branded “Seamless e-Channel”—at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Boundary-Crossing Facility on 25 June. Two dedicated lanes inside the passenger clearance building will allow eligible travellers to keep walking at normal speed while facial-recognition cameras and AI video analytics verify their identity in roughly five seconds, two seconds faster than the city’s current automated gates. The pilot is open to Hong Kong permanent residents aged 11 or above who have used the bridge at least 10 times in the preceding 90 days—about 50,000 frequent cross-border commuters, according to Assistant Director of Immigration Or Chung-yuk. Qualified users can register immediately through the “Non-contact e-Channel” mobile app, where their facial template is uploaded to the department’s secure backend. Unlike traditional e-Channels, the new lanes dispense with kiosks, card readers and closing gates. Infra-red sensors keep the corridor open while high-definition cameras capture a traveller’s face; backend algorithms match the live image with the pre-enrolled biometric. If a non-enrolled person or an abnormal stride pattern is detected, physical barriers drop automatically. The system’s stated accuracy rate is 99 percent. Officials say the data will be stored in Hong Kong only and encrypted end-to-end under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. The project fulfils a pledge in Chief Executive John Lee’s 2025 Policy Address to create a “seamless clearance” model that can be replicated at the airport and land checkpoints with Shenzhen. For multinational employers, the upgrade promises faster door-to-door journeys for staff shuttling between Hong Kong’s financial hub and manufacturing bases in the Greater Bay Area. Logistic firms also expect reduced queuing time for drivers using the bridge’s passenger hall to obtain same-day visas. Consultancy EY estimates each minute saved at the boundary could translate into annual productivity gains of HK $220 million for cross-border businesses. Immigration officials will conduct a three-month operational assessment before deciding whether to widen access to non-resident frequent travellers and Macau or mainland permit holders. In parallel, the department is expanding its “Face Easy” arrival program at Hong Kong International Airport, adding 20 document-free lanes by year-end. Together, the initiatives underline Hong Kong’s strategy of using biometrics and AI to regain its pre-pandemic reputation for frictionless travel while meeting tighter security benchmarks demanded by international carriers and the US Visa Waiver Programme.
Source: news.gov.hk
