A foreign tourist seeks help from a one-stop comprehensive service center for foreigners at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. (Photo from the official website of Shanghai Pudong International Airport)

The Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau and the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection have been enhancing visa services and entry-exit processes to welcome foreign friends.

These efforts include issuing China's first e-visa, improving the process for visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships, and enhancing customs clearance support for the 144-hour visa-free transit policy.

According to an official with the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection, from January to July this year, Shanghai ports saw a total of over 2.36 million foreign national visits, which is almost 2.6 times higher than that during the same period last year.

On July 11, when the Adora Magic City, China's first domestically-built large cruise ship, arrived at Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, all immigration inspection channels were opened at the same time. It took less than a minute for a Philippine passenger to clear customs.

It is reported that the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection has continuously improved its inspection process: foreign cruise passengers are no longer required to leave fingerprint biometric information; passengers entering and exiting China by cruise ship on the same voyage are exempted from stamping entry and exit clearance stamps or filling in foreign entry papers. These measures have greatly enhanced the convenience and comfort of cruise travel for passengers.

This year, Shanghai has served as the home port for six large cruise ships traveling abroad.

Since Shanghai piloted the 15-day visa-free entry policy for international cruise tour groups in October 2016, it has attracted several internationally renowned cruise companies, with an annual average growth of 10 percent in the number of cruise passengers it received.

According to an official with the Pujiang Station of Immigration Inspection, Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection, as of July 31, more than 230 international cruise ship trips had been inspected at Shanghai's cruise ports this year, with nearly 50,000 inbound and outbound foreign tourist visits.

To further advance the digital transformation of ordinary visas and streamline the application process for port visas, China has launched a port e-visa service in Shanghai for foreigners invited by enterprises at China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-gang Special Area from July 12. This initiative aims to provide greater convenience for foreigners coming into China and improve border inspection efficiency.

Over 1,300 eligible enterprises at Lin-gang Special Area have completed registration procedures. They can now submit applications on an e-government platform on behalf of applicants, and the whole process can be completed online.

"Thanks to the strong support of Shanghai's port visa authorities, we were able to bring important international clients to China for a conference," read a thank-you letter recently received by the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau from a company in Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu province.

In May this year, the company invited over 1,200 clients from 62 countries worldwide to gather in Xuzhou for a conference. However, due to time constraints, some of the clients were unable to complete the visa application process at Chinese embassies or consulates abroad, making it difficult for them to join the conference.

Upon learning the situation, the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau immediately coordinated with their counterparts in Xuzhou to remotely verify the company's relevant documents. They also set up a "green channel" at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, giving port visas to 23 clients of the company.

In recent years, with the implementation of policies like the 144-hour visa-free transit and continuous innovation in related services, it has become increasingly convenient for foreigners to visit China. In the first half of this year, over 20,000 individual trips took advantage of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy to enter Shanghai ports in the first six months of this year.

Recently, a one-stop comprehensive service center for foreigners was set up at Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

"Can you help me set up Alipay?" Smith, a traveler from the United States, asked a staff member at the service center.

Shortly after, Zhu Lin, who was on duty that day, helped Smith link his bank card to the online payment platform and explained to him how to use ride-hailing apps and local SIM cards.

"When foreign travelers, especially short-term visitors, come to China, their most urgent needs are making phone calls, accessing the internet, and mobile payments. These can all be addressed here in one stop," said Ma Hualin, operation manager of Shanghai Foreign Service Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Donghao Lansheng Group. As of July 29, the service center had served 14,854 foreigner visits, Ma added.

By Zhang Tianpei