Jane Lai

EXPATRIATES in Shenzhen have recently complained that a sudden change in China’s visa regulations had made it difficult for them to get multiple-entry or long-duration, single-entry visas to the Chinese mainland.

They claimed that the curbs since late March have restricted foreigners from obtaining multiple-entry or long-duration, single-entry visas to visit the Chinese mainland and no adequate explanation of the new visa policy had been offered by the authorities.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Guangdong, the British Chamber of Commerce in Shenzhen and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Guangzhou all said they had received complaints from their members about the new visa restrictions.

“Starting from the end of March, our members have been issued only single-entry visas and the maximum duration has been reduced to 30 days. This has obviously become a big problem for foreigners and the fact that no official clarification has been offered has worsened the confusion,” Jonathan Gander, an employee with the British Chamber of Commerce in Shenzhen, said Thursday.

A local visa official, however, denied yesterday that the issuing of multiple-entry visas had been suspended.

“The changes in visa regulations are associated with the approaching Olympic Games and multiple-entry visas are now restricted to a very small number of applicants,” said Ning Jian, an official with the exit-entry administration division of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau

But Ning refused to give any details of the new visa regulations that, expatriates say, have caused much confusion and that were said to be effective until after the Beijing Olympics.

Ning also confirmed that, so far, the division had not been notified by the Central Government of any specific preferential policies that were said to be enforced in Shenzhen.

The Commissioner’s Office of the Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong also denied yesterday that the multiple-entry visa services had been suspended, but said necessary documents such as copies of hotel vouchers and travel tickets needed to be presented when foreign nationals apply for visas to come to the Chinese mainland.

Expatriates in general complained that the new visa stipulations had caused inconvenience and hoped the authorities would offer them more guidelines.

Question: Why is China tightening its visa policies?

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu: China will follow the Olympic routine and facilitate visa applications by foreigners who want to come to China and attend the Olympic Games, an international sports event. Based on the practices of previous Olympics and other large-scale international sports events, we?ˉve made due arrangements regarding visa applications for foreigners in the light of China?ˉs laws and regulations.

Multiple-entry visa applications, as far as I know, are still issued to those who meet the requirements.

(Excerpts from a press conference Thursday)