One more immigration and residency and stay bill might be coming to Macau in this present year. At last, a legislative piece’s provision that won’t please privacy advocates. However, it is on the way to become a worldwide standard and is not going to fade away. According to Andre Cheong Weng Chon, Secretary of Macau for Justice and Administration and representative of the Executive Council of Macau, the raised bill includes a legal authorization to collect different biometric data from any individual entering the city with any government offices.
Stringent Laws
The bill, which is almost just a draft of the possible legal framework, could unify two present and competing residency and immigration laws, and also two administrative by laws that were imposed in 2003. Combined, all these gave blanket coverage for residency and immigration issues and expanded visitation by different foreign locals, and some other topics in relation to deportation and how those regulations are enforced.
The biometric information stipulation of that bill would allow the collection of fingerprints, palm prints, retina patterns, and iris. Public Security Police Commissioner, Ng Kam Wa, explained the previous Friday to the media that once the bill turned into a law and it got implemented, only one type of biometric data would be acquired by immigration officers.
Cheong expresses his own feelings about the latest bill that with reference to international standard practice, the bill proposes the measurement introduction to collect and attest visitors’ biometric data to enable to effectively notice those deploying a false recognition with the objective of combating and preventing illegal immigration. He also added that the offers and suggestions are necessary to combat illegal immigration and also to help restrain criminal activities.
The bill would also need hotels to educate immigration authorities every time a foreigner guest checks out or checks in.