The number of foreign citizens living in Shanghai exceeded 173,000 by the end of last year, a 6.7 percent increase compared to 2011. They make up a quarter of such citizens on China`s mainland. Most of them live in nearly 80 neighborhoods across the city.

In 2004, China began to allow foreign citizens to gain permanent residence and since then 1,478 had obtained their "Green Card" in Shanghai.

To better serve foreign residents in the city, the government last year launched five Foreign Service Centers in the Hongqiao area and Zizhu industrial zone of Minhang District, Lianyang community in the Pudong New Area, Xintiandi in Huangpu District and the Gaojing area of Qingpu District to provide exit and entry services.