TheCable

The embassy of People’s Republic of China on Monday announced its plan to open visa application centres in Abuja and Lagos.

Lin Jing, deputy ambassador, who made this known at a media conference in Abuja, said this would enhance visa process and ease applicants’ burden.

Jing said the plan to open the centres was borne out of concern to resolve the challenge of limited resources and facilities faced by the embassy in visa processing.

“We have limited resources and facilities and over the past years, we have seen visa applicants sweating under the scorching sun,” he said.

“We have been trying to improve our services and make it more comfortable for visa applicants while waiting for interviews or to submit applications.

“We are happy to announce that the China visa application centre in Abuja will open on Wednesday, September 20. We hope that with the opening of the centre, we will improve services to applicants.”

He gave the location of the centre as Church Gate Plaza, central business district.

“From Wednesday, passport holders wishing to visit the People’s Republic of China are requested to apply for visa at Abuja China Visa Application Centre,” he said.

“Applicants are required to submit applications at the centre by visiting www.visaforchina.org to make an appointment in advance.”

He said diplomatic and official passport holders or applicants applying for Hong Kong/Macao special administrative region visa/entry permits were to submit their applications directly to the Chinese embassy.

The envoy added that the application process and duration for visa issuance remain unchanged.

He explained that the embassy would decide whether to approve or disapprove applications, noting that after visas  had been issued, passports would be sent back to application centres where applicants would pick them up.