On September 16, at a press conference on strengthening Beijing's role as an international exchange center, Shi Xiaogang, Director of the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, introduced that in 2021, the city added an Exit-Entry Service Hall for Foreigners in the Fengtai District Government Service Center. Now, there are 10 places that provide exit-entry services for foreigners in Beijing, and the locations basically cover the areas where key foreign-related enterprises in high-tech and service industries are located, as well as the main areas where foreigners work, live and study, which enables foreign-related enterprises and foreigners to seek exit-entry services nearby conveniently.

In order to increase efficiency, the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, together with Beijing Overseas Talents Center, reengineered the service process and launched a creative "joint application" model for work permits and work-type residence permits, so as to improve the exit-entry service experience. At present, the city has set up service windows for "two-permit joint application" in the Beijing Government Service Center, the Exit-Entry Service Halls for Foreigners of the Tongzhou Branch and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Daxing Branch of the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, and Beijing CBD International Talent One-Stop Service Center, creating a new model that enables synchronized processing and joint approvals.

Shi Xiaogang introduced that the application materials were greatly simplified, and the number of visits was effectively reduced than before. In particular, the processing time was reduced from 17 workdays to seven workdays, which was welcomed by foreign-related enterprises and applicants.

In addition, the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau is also piloting a smart exit-entry service processing system in Haidian, Fengtai, Tongzhou and Fangshan, creating a service model featuring "reservation with one click, diversion by one machine, one-stop service and handling at one desk." This streamlines the whole process, reduces the number of procedures, improves efficiency, and tackles the problem of the divergence in the number of applications between urban and suburban areas, and between workdays and weekends. It also further shortens the applicants' waiting time.

Shi Xiaogang said that going forward, they would continue to focus on the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and strengthen Beijing's role as an international exchange center, work closely with relevant departments, enhance the service experience comprehensively, improve supporting service measures, and create a more comfortable and convenient soft environment that facilitatesexit-entry servicesfor foreigners living and working in Beijing.

(Reporter: Chen Xuening)