From August 1, all foreigners applying for residence permits and work visas are required to first visit the public security branch bureaus in their respective districts for an interview.

Once their documents are verified and notices are issued from the exit and entry administrations under the branch police bureaus, they can apply to the city's exit and entry administrative division.

At present, foreigners can go directly to the exit and entry administrative division.

"The adjustment is to have a better management of expatriates in Shenzhen," said Bian Dongfeng, vice director of Shenzhen Exit and Entry Administrative Division.

"We make the branch bureaus to pre-check expatriates' application to have a more thorough understanding of expatriates and their exact population in Shenzhen, and to better serve the expatriate community," Bian said.

Foreigners applying for "L" (tourist/family) or "F" (business) visa of at least one year's validity, and those moving to Shenzhen from other Chinese cities or moving out of Shenzhen, will need to get the verification from branch police bureaus first.

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 Hong Kong and Macao travel permits and endorsements are waiting to be collected. If people do not collect them before Aug. 9, when the old information system stops functioning, the approved endorsements will be canceled.

Editor: Donald