A local resident gets his new ID card from an automatic machine at Renhe police station in Liangjiang New Area on March 8. [Photo by Wang Quanchao/Xinhua]

Officials in Liangjiang have blazed a new trail in local government services by allowing local residents to get their second generation ID cards renewed or reissued automatically.

Liangjiang New Area’s Renhe police station introduced the new system which takes only three minutes on an automatic photograph and application machine. After users put in their ID card number, the new ID card will be made and ready for collection from another machine five days later.

A renewed ID card costs 20 yuan ($2.90) and a reissued one costs 40 yuan. The automatic application machine accepts Alipay and WeChat Pay.