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Download Shanghai fined and punished more than 500 foreigners for illegally staying in the country after China imposed its new exit-entry law in July, according to statistics provided by the city's immigration inspection department. From July 1 through Aug 10, 534 foreigners had illegally entered or overstayed their visas. More than 380 of them were found by the border inspection department at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. That is an increase of 150 percent on the same period the previous year, the figures showed. A foreigner who stayed illegally in Shanghai for 33 days was fined 10,000 yuan ($1,630) by the city's immigration inspection authority on Aug 2, the biggest fine issued in the city and the maximum allowed under the law that took effect on July 1. "The reason for the massive increase of illegal stay cases was unclear, and our suggestion for foreign visa holders in China is to apply for extensions on time to avoid being fined," said Yang Xiajie, a staff member of the Shanghai General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. The new exit-and-entry law stipulates stiffer punishment for foreigners who illegally enter, live or work in China, and states they will be fined for each day they overstay with the total amount not exceeding 10,000 yuan. The maximum fine under the previous law was 5,000 yuan. Under the new law, the shortest working visa for foreigners is 90 days, and a residence certificate is valid for from 180 days to five years. | 
