Frustrated Chinese travelers and foreigners can breathe a sigh of relief - there's a new, more efficient center for passports, visas and residence permits.

The new complex of the Shanghai Entry and Exit Administration Bureau opened on Saturday in Pudong at No. 1500 Minsheng Road.

It is larger, better organized and better staffed than the old center - and it provides 80 parking spaces. The old center had none.

Chinese and foreigners often were frustrated by the congestion, poor organization and long lines in the former passport, visa and residence permit center.

 The old bureau was located on Wusong Road, Hongkou District.

Chinese, overseas Chinese and foreigners are supposed to collect certificates and make applications at the new office building from now on.

The first floor is for Chinese seeking passports to travel abroad and to visit Hong Kong and Macau; the second floor is for overseas Chinese; the third floor is for foreigners seeking visas and residence permits.

The three modern reception halls are three times as large as the previous ones, and the number of reception desks doubles to 60.

A handful of high-ranking city officials attended the opening ceremony on Saturday morning and employees then began to receive local residents and expatriates. Within 30 minutes, more than 200 citizens were waiting at the spacious hall on the first floor to apply for passports.

(Shanghai Daily October 10, 2005)