The electronic border area travel permit policy, announced earlier in April by China's National Immigration Administration (NIA), become operational on Wednesday. Previous paper permits will remain valid until they expire, according to the NIA's official website.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry website, border management areas refer to zones within a certain distance of the land national boundary that are designated and publicly announced by the state, where special access and travel control measures are implemented to maintain border order and security. They generally include administrative regions such as counties, cities, leagues, and banners that border neighboring countries.

Under the new policy, Chinese mainland residents aged 16 and above can apply for an electronic border pass, valid for up to three months, via the administration's government service platform.

Residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan island, as well as overseas Chinese and foreign nationals, along with accompanying children under the age of 16, and Chinese mainland residents applying for one-year permits must apply in person at exit-entry administration authorities of public security organs at or above the county level, or at designated police stations, to obtain the electronic border area travel permit, according to the new policy.

Several media outlets including United Daily News and Lianhe Zaobao took note of the new policy, and local tourism industry insiders explained that the move does not introduce new restrictions but represents a digital upgrade of existing procedures, with no impact on ordinary travelers.

The new regulation has drawn attention from Singaporean travelers to China, with some travel agencies receiving inquiries over the past week, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

A China inbound tourism manager at Singapore-based travel agency, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times that while the agency had previously offered a popular eight-day in-depth tour of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, it has not yet received inquiries from Singaporean clients regarding the new policy.

"We have noted that border areas in places like Yunnan and Guangxi in southern China have long required such permits. However, since travel agencies typically handle the application process, so travelers are generally unaffected," the manager said.

Liu Hongbo, China market manager at Europe Holiday, also pointed out that such permits have been required since 1999, meaning the system has been in place for over two decades. Liu added that the permits do not apply to popular destinations favored by tourists, such as Kunming, Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan, which, despite being in border provinces, are not classified as border management zones and therefore do not require the permit, per Lianhe Zaobao.

Border permits are only needed for more remote border destinations, such as Taxkorgan in Kashgar, Xinjiang; the Mount Qomolangma Base Camp in Xigaze, Xizang; or Ruili in Yunnan, Liu added.

The shift to electronic permits should be understood as a digital convenience measure aimed at simplifying document handling and inspection procedures, without altering existing travel regulations, Zheng Lin, an executive vice president of the Inbound Tourism Branch of the China Association of Travel Services, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

However, Liu noted that foreign travelers must still apply in person at local police service centers. Independent travelers planning to visit these remote border areas are advised to prepare in advance and stay informed about relevant policies to avoid disruptions at border checkpoints, according to Lianhe Zaobao.