Shanghai launches easier entry services for 8th CIIE

(ECNS) -- As the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) approaches, Shanghai on Wednesday announced a package of streamlined entry and exit services for international exhibitors and buyers.

For the first time, foreign exhibitors and buyers invited by Shanghai entities are eligible to apply for port visas online. It is also extending port visa services to those invited by companies from other Chinese provinces. Additionally, group port visas are now available for the first time to international tourist groups visiting the expo.

Foreign exhibitors and buyers can apply for port visas via the official CIIE website or the city's integrated online government service platform, according to Huang Yichen, a staff member of the Exit-Enter Administration Corps of Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau.

With the e-port visa confirmation letter, they can enter China for the expo. This fully digital process eliminates the need for paper documents, passport submission, or a physical visa sticker, ensuring swift entry, Huang said.

Meanwhile, returning international guests can benefit from express visa services with minimal paperwork, as well as the continued option to renew their multi-entry visas.

The Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration said its on-site service center at the National Exhibition and Convention Center will serve as a one-stop shop for participants. The center will provide same-day residence permits for foreign attendees, expedited document services for visitors from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and 24-hour smart visa endorsement services for mainland enterprises expanding abroad.

The on-site service center can help eligible visa-free foreign participants apply for necessary stay permits, allowing them to seamlessly extend their visit for business activities after their visa-free period ends, it said.

(By Zhang Dongfang)