Q：China News Service: We noted that visa appointment service has seen improvement recently at Chinese embassies and consulates. At some embassies and consulates, appointments are no longer required for visa application. The Foreign Ministry and relevant diplomatic missions overseas have issued notice to further improve visa policies. Can you share more about what has been done and achieved in facilitating cross-border travel?
A：Wang Wenbin: Since early this year, to provide smooth channels for foreigners travelling to China and facilitate efforts to achieve high-quality development and high-level opening-up, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has improved visa policies and launched a series of measures in collaboration with other government agencies to make sure that channels are smooth for foreigners travelling to China.
Following the decision to manage COVID-19 with measures against Class-B infectious diseases, the Foreign Ministry has directed our embassies and consulates to extend office hours, reduce materials required for visa application, increase staff and issuance of multiple-entry visas, exempt applicants temporarily from fingerprinting and improve the visa application form, so that the visa process can become more efficient. Green lanes are added for groups with important and urgent business or humanitarian affairs. Most Chinese embassies and consulates now provide visa appointments down to two working days in advance. There are also quite a few Chinese missions which no longer require an appointment for visa applications.
These measures have achieved good results. The numbers of visa issuance has gone up rapidly, and more and more foreigners are coming to China. Going forward, the Foreign Ministry will continue to improve visa policies, and actively create more favorable conditions for boosting cross-border travel to and from China.?
