NIA releases main data on immigration management in 2021

On January 27, National Immigration Administration (NIA) held a press conference and released main data on immigration management in 2021.

In 2021, the national immigration authorities fully performed their functions and made concerted efforts to maintain normal entry-exit order, prevent imported COVID-19 cases, provide services to promote high-level opening-up and high-quality development, ensure safe and orderly exchanges between China and the rest of the world, and actively serve the building of the new development paradigm featuring "dual circulation" in which domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay. Throughout the year of 2021, a total of 14.094 million entry-exit transport vehicles (trains, ships and planes) were inspected, including 228,000 cargo flights, representing an increase of 22.8 percent year on year, and 72,000 freight trains, up by 3.6 percent year on year. A total of 128 million entry-exit visits were checked, down by 2.8 percent year on year. Among them, 74.234 million were made by mainland residents, an increase of 6.6 percent year on year; and 48.973 million were by residents from Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan, up by 4.4 percent year on year.

In terms of strict prevention of and crackdown on cross-border criminal activities, national immigration authorities investigated 19,600 cases related to obstruction of border (frontier) management and arrested 98,500 people involved, of whom 50,100 were subject to criminal penalties and 48,400 to administrative punishment. Throughout the year, 79,000 foreigners were found guilty of illegal entry, overstaying, or illegal employment and punished in accordance with the law, including warnings, fines, administrative detentions or exit within a prescribed time limit, and 44,000 of them were repatriated; and 10.38 tons of drugs of various types and 626.28 tons of precursor chemicals were seized, along with 2,598 guns of various types, and smuggled goods worth CNY 376 million.

In respect of comprehensively integrating into and fully serving the overall economic and social development, NIA conscientiously studied and implemented the outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and Vision 2035 of China, closely focused on the major national development strategies to formulate the development plan for immigration management during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, systematically promoted the deepening of immigration management reform, and strengthened the construction of key areas and key links. Immigration authorities at all levels in all regions were fully committed to serving the regional construction and development plans of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, Hainan Free Trade Port, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Pudong New Area, etc., and implemented a large number of targeted immigration administration policies and measures. Immigration authorities were committed to serving and solving problems for the people and the market entities. Sixteen new measures were introduced to better serve the development of shipping enterprises. More than 240 passageways special for the Belt and Road initiative were added at land ports. A new customs clearance model of "cooperative inspection and one-time clearance" was promoted at some land ports in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Sixteen measures to facilitate the application for immigration documents were implemented. On the condition of regular epidemic prevention and control, the customs clearance environment was constantly optimized to comprehensively enhance the healthy flow of various development factors and improve the service for and convenience of handling immigration management affairs. In the whole year, 484,000 cargo ships, flights and trains were inspected and received a green light, up by 8.7 percent year on year, saving 201,000 hours of certification time and over CNY 1.5 billion of cost for enterprises; convenient service for 1.794 million eligible applicants was provided; 33.84 million identity authentication services were offered to Hong Kong and Macao residents and overseas Chinese holding entry-exit documents for social affairs; more than 1.065 million pieces of policy and legal advice in multiple languages were given to Chinese and foreign personnel through NIA's English web portal and 12367 service hotline, with an average satisfaction rate of 97.2 percent.

With regards to comprehensively building and continuously consolidating a defense line against imported COVID-19 cases, the general strategy of "guarding against imported cases and preventing a resurgence of the outbreak at home" was resolutely implemented to strengthen port inspection and border interception, control non-essential cross-border movements of people, continue to suspend port visas and regional visa-free policies, implement a strict and stringent entry policy, and provide, in a prudent and orderly manner, necessary entry convenience for foreigners coming to China to engage in economic, trade, scientific and technological activities or having urgent humanitarian needs while ensuring epidemic prevention and control. The number of entry and exit made by foreigners reached 4.531 million throughout the year. NIA continued to encourage people not to exit under non-emergent or non-essential circumstances, and strictly approved and issued entry-exit certificates for the mainland residents. With full understanding and cooperation from the general public, it accepted and approved 630,000 ordinary passports, and 1.44 million certificates and 5.91 million endorsements for travel from or to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan throughout the year. It further improved epidemic prevention and control measures at ports. According to the needs of entry-exit management of personnel and transport vehicles at land, sea and air ports, supervision and checking measure were enhanced in line with the policy of "suspending movement of passengers while ensuring flow of cargo" at land ports, non-contact transit and "no boarding, no landing, no docking" unless necessary at sea ports, and "separation of international and domestic flights, separation of passengers and staff, separation of passengers and freight traffic" at air ports, strictly implementing closed-loop management. Efforts were made to further strengthen border area control by carrying out round-the-clock two-way inspection of people and vehicles entering and leaving the border areas and verifying all the incomers and foreigners in the border villages. It further strengthened the joint prevention and control efforts against the pandemic with local governments and departments, promptly notified the customs, health authorities and local joint prevention and control mechanisms of information on personnel from high-risk areas and cooperated in travel route tracing and regional investigations, so as to achieve closed-loop management from the "gate of the country" to the "doors of families". The defense line against imported COVID-19 cases was consolidated on all fronts.

In 2021, altogether 557 groups and individuals from the national immigration management system were honored for second-class merit awards and above, and commendations at the provincial/ministerial level and above. A large number of exemplary roles emerged, such as Liu Yongqing, the "Model of Excellence in Public Security", the Exit and Entry Administration Detachment of Aba Prefectural Public Security Bureau in Sichuan Province and Dulongjiang Border Police Station in Yunnan Province. Seven comrades, including Cai Xiaodong, were martyred, and 49 comrades were injured in the line of duty, honoring the solemn oath of "people's police serve the people" with their blood and lives.

Notice: The English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version.