China News Service, Beijing, January 1 (Reporter Li Jingze, Guo Chaokai) The reporter learned from the press conference of the Information Office of the State Council of China on the 11th that the National Immigration Administration has officially implemented five measures to facilitate foreigners to come to China from January 11 to further break through the relevant blockages of foreigners coming to China for business, study and tourism, and better serve to ensure high-level opening up and promote high-quality development.
The five new initiatives include:
The first is to relax the conditions for foreign nationals to apply for port visas. For foreigners who urgently need to come to China to engage in non-diplomatic and official activities such as business cooperation, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives and handling personal affairs, and do not have time to apply for visas abroad, they can apply for port visas to enter the country with the invitation letter and other relevant supporting materials.
Second, foreign nationals are exempted from inspection procedures for 24-hour direct transit at hub airports such as Beijing Capital Airport. At 9 international airports in Beijing, Beijing Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Hangzhou Xiaoshan, Xiamen Gaoqi, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Chengdu Tianfu and Xi'an Xianyang, 24-hour direct transit passengers are exempted from border inspection procedures. For inbound and outbound passengers holding international connecting tickets within 24 hours and transiting through any of the above-mentioned airports to a third country or region, they can directly transit without a visa without going through border inspection procedures.
Third, foreign nationals in China can apply for visa extension and reissuance nearby. Foreign nationals who come to China for a short period of time to engage in non-diplomatic or official activities such as business and trade cooperation, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, sightseeing and tourism, and handling personal affairs, and who need to continue to stay in China for legitimate and reasonable reasons, may apply to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ at the place of stay for visa extension and reissuance.
Fourth, foreign nationals in China can apply for re-entry visas if they need to enter and exit the country multiple times. Foreign nationals in China who need to enter and exit the country multiple times for legitimate and reasonable reasons may apply to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ for the renewal of a valid multiple-entry visa with the invitation letter and other relevant supporting materials.
Fifth, the application materials for visas and certificates for foreign nationals in China will be simplified. When applying for a visa certificate, foreign nationals who can inquire about their accommodation registration records, business licenses and other information through information sharing are exempted from checking the relevant paper certification materials, and foreign nationals in China who apply for short-term visas for family visits and reunions can make a declaration of kinship in lieu of the certificate of kinship.
Liu Haitao, deputy director of the National Immigration Administration, said at the press conference that as China's economic development continues to recover and improve, and the level of opening up continues to expand, Chinese and foreign enterprises and personnel have put forward many new demands for deepening immigration management services. The National Immigration Administration will take the initiative to cooperate with relevant competent authorities to continue to focus on the stuck points of foreigners coming to China for business, study and tourism, continue to deepen the reform of immigration management services and policy and institutional innovation, accelerate institutional opening-up, actively participate in the creation of a first-class business environment, and actively serve to promote the construction of a new development pattern. (ENDS)