Authorities promise equal treatment to all ethnicities
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region said it is planning to streamline the procedure for passport application, promising equal treatment to applicants of different ethnicities.
"The autonomous region has decided to accelerate passport management reforms and implement a uniform passport policy according to law for all residents applying for a passport," said a report from the official Xinjiang Daily.
Getting a passport is often complicated and takes more time in Xinjiang than in other regions, given the rising terrorism threats faced by Xinjiang and its ongoing anti-terrorism campaign.
Xinjiang witnessed a year-long campaign targeting terror suspects and extremism since May 2014, and 181 terror groups were busted in the campaign. The campaign was launched after the bombing of a market in Urumqi that killed 39 people.
According to the new policy, those who apply for a passport under the category of visiting a family member or friend overseas are no longer required to submit an invitation letter from an overseas address. Instead, applicants are only required to submit a photocopy of the ID card of the person they plan to visit.
Those who apply under the business category must submit an enterprise license and an official letter from their employers to justify their trip. However, tax payment and documents showing payment of at least six months of social security fees are no longer part of the new policy, Geng Jie, a Xinjiang-based travel agent who specializes in passport applications, told the Global Times.
Those who apply under the tourism and education categories are still required to present a receipt from a travel agency or an acceptance letter from a foreign institution.
The report said that aside from streamlining procedures, Xinjiang authorities plan to increase the number of passport offices to meet the demand. The report failed to provide more details.
Applicants in Beijing are only required to present an application form, their ID card and household registration document, according to the website of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.
The average processing time is 15 days in Xinjiang and 8 to 10 days in Beijing.
The extra paperwork required in Xinjiang would make some people turn to a special type of passport—the "travel passport" - which they can acquire through a travel agency in a shorter period of time but must be handed back to authorities every time they complete their overseas trip, Geng said.
It is unknown whether any changes will be made to this type of passport.
The report also failed to say how the policy will deal with the differences often experienced between Han and Uyghur Chinese in applying for a passport.
