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A worker at the Pinghu foreign affairs service center processes the extension of a business visa for a foreign expert. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

Jiaxing in East China's Zhejiang province has carried out reforms in recent years to offer local expats more convenient administrative services.

In May of last year, the Jiaxing public security bureau collaborated with more than 20 departments involved in foreign affairs to streamline the administrative procedures for foreigners visiting the city.

In September of last year, the county level city of Pinghu under Jiaxing's administration piloted reforms in work and residence permits for expats. Currently, it only takes five working days for high-level foreign talents to apply for work and residence permits in Pinghu, cutting the processing time by 25 days than before.

In January of this year, Jiaxing's Jiashan county set up service centers for immigration and foreign talents, which rounds up departments involved in foreign affairs to offer one-stop services for expats.

On Aug 18, Pinghu launched a digital application, where expats can handle 12 administrative affairs involving work permits, driver's licenses, social insurance, and individual income tax without visiting governmental departments.

"It only takes seven working days from submitting my application to receiving a notification, and it's so efficient," said Sun Pengfen, manager of a local Japan-invested company, who helped a foreign expert apply for an extension of the business visa.

Sun added that the Pinghu foreign affairs service center not only offers one-stop service, but the entire process is digitalized.

Pan Xinhua, director of the Jiaxing entry and exit administration bureau, said that by the end of this year, joint service centers for expats will be available in all the districts and counties in Jiaxing.