December 6 was the first day of accepting applications for the MSAR (Macao Special Administrative Region) passports and traveling certificates.

At the crack of dawn that day, people lined up in front of the certificate-issuing institution. It was originally planned to finish issuing 650 certificates before noon. In addition, there were 930 applications filed by appointment. This means the quota for applications filed by appointment had been full before December 15. Among the 550 applications handled in the first day, 25 were applications for the passport of the MSAR. An old Macao resident, about 50-60-year old, said with joy, "I'll have my own nationality soon! I'm really happy." The old man spoke out the minds of many Macao compatriots.

In Macao, for various historical reasons, many Chinese do not have their nationality, so each time when they went abroad or traveled overseas on official business, they could not fill in the entry card with the words "Chinese nationality", but could only fill with "stateless". Because many countries in the world do not recognize the "stateless passports" of those whose identity is uncertain, and do not sign visas for those holding "stateless passports". As a result, many Chinese residing in Macao failed to go abroad though they wanted to. This enables us to have a deeper understanding of the reason why Macao people are eager for home-coming at the earliest possible date and actively pitch into various activities designed to greet Macao's return to the motherland.

Issuing passports and certificates is one of the important symbols of the Chinese government's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Macao. The MSAR passport helps to raise Macao's international status, expand Macao residents' maneuvering space in the international arena, and promote Macao's economic and social development.

On the first work-day after Macao's return, the MSAR Identification Card Department will begin issuing the region's passports and travel certificates, by then, Macao compatriots can get the passports and travel certificates issued by the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and can justifiably become bold and straightforward Chinese.