The European Chamber is concerned about China's current visa restrictions Go back »

2008-04-25 | All chapters

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China is concerned about China's current visa restrictions

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China is concerned about recent and unexpected difficulties encountered in obtaining and renewing business travel visas ("F visas") to China. In the last few days, the European Chamber has received complaints from many of its members regarding these matters and has expressed its concerns to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

European companies in mainland China, Hong Kong and abroad have in recent days encountered such difficulties as:
• refusal of multiple-entry F visas,
• suspension of express visa services for F visa applications, and
• shortening of the length of issued single- and double-entry F visas.

The European Chamber is also particularly concerned about cases where Asia-based Europeans seeking to renew their China business visas, have been required to return to their home countries to apply.

For many years, EU-China business co-operation has benefited from generally convenient and efficient China visa services. According to the feedback from the member companies of the European Chamber, these recent developments impede business between the EU and China. European Chamber President Joerg Wuttke said: "Suspending the issue of express visas means that business opportunities are being missed. Beyond slowing down the process of travelling to China, these new practices make the possibility of travelling to China for business uncertain and increase travel costs by limiting the number of entries per visa". He also commented that, "The requirement that F visa applicants return to their home country to renew their visas imposes substantial extra costs in terms of both time and money on EU-China business cooperation.  This benefits no one".

Currently, the European Chamber is not aware of any official statement from the Government of the People’s Republic of China concerning a formal change in visa rules.  The European Chamber hopes that normal visa services will be restored very shortly, and is seeking clarification from the Chinese authorities.

Click here to download the press release.

Click here to view the European Chamber's letter to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding this issue.  

For further information, please contact:
Grace Yao, Press Officer of the European Chamber
Phone: +86 10 6462 2066 - 30
Mobile: +86 1367 1168 084
E-mail: gyao@euccc.com.cn

中国欧盟商会对目前中国对外签证限制表示关切

中国欧盟商会对近期外国人申请办理和续签来华商务签证（F签证）时遇到的一些始料未及的困难表示关切。最近，商会已收到了众多会员就此提出的意见，并已向中国外交部转达了会员们的忧虑。

在中国大陆、香港特别行政区和其他国家设有分支机构的欧洲企业纷纷表达了对于以下做法的忧虑：
• 拒绝发放多次入境签证；
• 暂停办理加急商务签证；
• 缩短已发放的一次和两次入境商务签证有效期。

此外，令中国欧盟商会尤其感到担忧的规定是，在亚洲长期工作生活的欧洲公民必须返回本国，向中国驻当地使领馆办理商务签证的续签手续。

多年以来，便捷的中国签证服务为中欧之间的商业合作带来了便利。据中国欧盟商会会员们反映，近期的签证政策变化阻碍了中欧商务往来。商会主席伍德克说：“暂停办理加急商务签证会使企业贻误商机。这样不仅降低了前往中国所需手续办理的速度，造成到中国进行商务旅行的不确定性，而且对签证的入境次数的限制也增加了到中国进行商务旅行的成本。”此外，他还表示：“要求商务签证申请人在本国向中国驻当地使领馆办理签证续签的做法，大幅提高了中欧之间开展商务交流与合作的时间和经济成本。这将无益于任何一方。”

目前，中国政府还没有就上述签证政策的变化发布任何正式公告。中国欧盟商会希望中国政府能在短期内恢复正常的签证服务，并尽快对这一变化予以澄清。

点击此处下载本新闻稿。

点击此处查看中国欧盟商会就此关切给中国外交部的信。 

希望了解更多信息，敬请联系：
姚辰，中国欧盟商会新闻官
电话：+86 10 6462 2066 – 30；
手机：+86 1367 1168 084；
电邮：gyao@euccc.com.cn

For more information please contact