SHANGHAI — Foreign exhibitors and visitors are allowed to apply for visa extensions on-site at the China International Import Expo, local authorities said.

Overseas exhibitors and visitors who need to extend their stay in Shanghai due to preliminary exhibition arrangements and follow-up business negotiations can complete visa extensions at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) where the expo is taking place, said the exit-entry administration of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Short-term staff who come to participate in the exhibition, and need to apply for residence permits after entering the country, can also submit applications at the overseas personnel service station of the exhibition center, it added.

"It's convenient. I did not expect to be able to deal with visa extensions at the exposition site," said Marco Russo, an Italian jewelry exhibitor.

"This is our second year at the expo. China's open market has a huge attraction," said Russo. "After getting our visas extended, we will have more time to explore the Chinese market and visit dealers after the event."

The service station has also opened a green channel for foreigners who have lost or damaged their passports and are eager to leave the country, offering services such as reporting the loss of passports and reissuing visa documents.

This year's CIIE will likely welcome 400,000 visitors from home and abroad, making it one of the largest events across the world in 2020.