Guangzhou police urged residents not to rush for travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao after a record number of applicants in police offices.

Applicants now have to join long queues at police offices. Police said about 175,000 people applied for travel permits to the two special administrative regions (SARs) in June, 150 percent more than in the same period last year.

The police attributed the rush to the summer vacation, when an increasing number of parents were planning to travel to Hong Kong and Macao with their children. The SARs were opened to individual Guangzhou tourists last year.

Police have opened more service counters. Residents can send applications to http://www.gdcrj.com/en/ or call 96897. The permits can be delivered by China Post courier.

However, facing a shortage of manpower, police have urged residents not to join the rush unless it was urgent.

A travel permit is valid for three months. Residents are advised to apply two or three months in advance to avoid long queues.

(Shenzhen Daily July 13, 2004)