The Ministry of Public Security is piloting a program to allow e-permits for mainland travelers to Hong Kong and Macao.

The program would first apply to travelers who are registered in Guangdong province, which borders the two special administrative regions. The province's exit-and-entry administration began accepting applications for e-permits on Tuesday.

The e-permits, which are smart cards with integrated chips containing a cardholder's personal information, fingerprints and entry endorsement, are expected to gradually replace the current use of paper permits.