Immigration starts new English-language online service

An online English-language service offering information on immigration services along with a telephone hotline officially started operations on Thursday.

The online portal has sections on handling applications and consultation and immigration services, the National Immigration Administration said. It can be accessed at https://en.nia.gov.cn.

The website will publish authoritative information on China's management of immigration issues and provide real-time interaction for foreign nationals in the country or those about to visit, the NIA said.

The "12367" immigration hotline is available to people both inside and outside the Chinese mainland. It will operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week, with services available in Chinese and English.

The hotline will also let callers connect with the consultation and complaint platforms of all border inspection authorities and exit and entry administrations.

Users who choose the Chinese service will be able to access three options: port clearance and border passage, entry and exit documents, and comments and suggestions.

Calls from outside the mainland will be transferred to the immigration service center of the NIA. The center will provide services in Mandarin, Cantonese and English to help residents of Macao and Hong Kong as well as foreign nationals.

According to the NIA, border authorities made 670 million inspections of people entering and exiting the mainland in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the figure decreased last year.

In the long run, border crossings are expected to increase as globalization accelerates, triggering a need to facilitate immigration services, the NIA said.

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