China Expands Facial Recognition at the Border with Hong Kong

China is enhancing its plan for smart border control. Now, citizens from Hong Kong and Taiwan can use fast lanes with facial recognition at more checkpoints when traveling to and from the mainland. 

The biometric channels, which are already in place at Shenzhen Bay and Zhuhai’s Gongbei Port, will be expanded to include critical land, sea, and air crossings beginning Wednesday. These include significant ports and transportation hubs in cities including as Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Shanghai, as well as airports, ferry terminals, and bridges meant to make cross-border travel more efficient.

Residents aged 14 and up with valid travel permits can enlist using their faces and fingerprints, allowing for automated approval for future trips. The same procedure applies to eligible residents with permits and multiple-entry endorsements for a variety of visit categories, including business, family, and talent. The announcement is part of a slew of new immigration and exit-entry policies geared at boosting cross-border travel, tourism, and talent mobility.

One strategy comprises several checkpoints, such as key ports and transport hubs, in a 240-hour visa-free transit plan that now covers 60 entry points for nationals of 55 countries.

The Hong Kong government praised the new policies. According to officials, expanded biometric clearance will reduce wait times and improve travel predictability. The broader talent endorsement structure has already facilitated tens of thousands of submissions. It is projected that more mainland experts will visit Hong Kong and Macau in the future years. However, privacy advocates are expected to pay particular attention to how biometric data is stored, secured, and shared among organisations.

Global rollouts of facial recognition border control

Similar biometric border schemes are emerging worldwide. Singapore’s Changi Airport now supports passport-less facial and iris clearance, while the EU Entry Exit System and US biometric exit programmes capture face data at borders. Gulf hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi now scale smart gates and facial recognition corridors for travellers.