Service app iFutian goes online

An English-language, one-stop service app for Shenzhen expats, iFutian was official launched yesterday during a ceremony held at the C Future City shopping mall in Futian District.

iFutian was initiated by the Futian District Committee of the CPC and the Futian District Government, jointly developed by Futian’s foreign affairs bureau, commerce bureau, and justice bureau, the Shatou Subdistrict Office, and the Shenzhen International Exchange and Cooperation Foundation, and is operated by EyeShenzhen.com.

The app is organized into four major sections — News, Services, Guide and Useful Apps, and Mini Programs — and presented in a user-friendly format. The News section features major events happening in Futian, Shenzhen, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, keeping expats informed about activities in their home away from home.

Participants attend the launch ceremony of iFutian yesterday. Lin Songtao

Luca Baroli, an Italian expert with the China (Shenzhen) International Personnel Training Center, commended the iFutian app for providing a wide range of practical information for expat residents. He said he wished such a helpful all-in-one service app was available a decade ago when he first arrived in the city.

“I know how challenging it would be for a foreign national to navigate a new place, even though I didn’t have the language barrier issue myself,” said Baroli, who volunteers to assist international businesspeople visiting Huaqiangbei.

Newly arrived expats and those with entry and exit concerns can find valuable information in the Service section. It covers topics like entry and exit matters, visas, residence permits, and accommodation registration, among others.

Long-term residents can also turn to the Service section for tips on living, working, and traveling in the city. The Guide section includes information on the city’s sports and tourism scene, transportation system, healthcare services, and enterprise solutions.

Briton Ben Kitirou with the Galaxy Industrial Group said the information provided, especially regarding visas and residence registration, will benefit new international arrivals.

Recalling his own experience of arriving 10 years ago, Kitirou said, “At one time, due to lack of useful information, even with help from my colleagues, my work visa got refused twice.” He believes that the iFutian app will address issues like those due to its useful information.

Expats may find it challenging to navigate life in Shenzhen, known as a city of the future, without using essential mobile apps. The iFutian app provides a brief introduction to apps and mini programs commonly used in Shenzhen and even across China, such as car-hailing service Didi, mobile payment platforms WeChat Pay and Alipay, food delivery and shopping platform Meituan, and online tourism service provider Ctrip.

“This app will make life much easier for expats in Shenzhen, and I will definitely recommend it to my foreign friends, especially those who just arrive,” said Priyasha Sharma. She has been in Shenzhen for 11 years and now works in the city’s tech industry after graduating from Shenzhen University.

The launch of the iFutian app is one of a package of services that Futian District offers to bolster the development of the core district of an international city.

Also at the ceremony, the Convenience Service Package for Foreign Nationals and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Service Package for Foreign Nationals were unveiled. Furthermore, the International Visa and Certification Service Center and the One-stop Platform for Enterprise Globalization Services were inaugurated.