UK Government to Simplify Visa Rules for Chinese Nationals

Chinese tourists and students proposing to visit Britain henceforth can heave a huge sigh of relief as their visa applications will be made simpler. Making an announcement to this effect, Chancellor George Osborne, who is currently heading a trade mission to China, said visa applications of Chinese paying a visit to the UK will soon be simplified.

As per the existing procedures, Chinese nationals contemplating to visit the UK need to apply for a separate visa, even if they already had a visa in their possession to visit the European Union. However, according to the new rules, Chinese tourists can bypass the process, provided they make their bookings with selected travel agents who will be empowered to apply for visas to the as part of the EU visa.

Come next summer, a 24-hour “super priority” visa service will be made available, even as plans are afoot to widen a VIP mobile visa service, which is presently operating in Beijing and Shanghai. What’s astonishing to note is that the entire process may take less than five minutes.

The latest decision on visas comes close on the heels of reservations expressed by Home Secretary, Theresa May, who has cautioned against making any relaxation in rules as such a move can pose a serious threat to the national security.

Government officials firmly believe that what’s deterring Chinese nationals from paying a visit to Britain in large numbers is the additional paperwork associated with applying for visas. A total of 210,000 visas were issued to Chinese tourists in 2012, which brought 300 million pounds to the exchequer. Now, the government is keen to effect a three-fold increase in the total number of Chinese visiting the UK. In this regard, Osborne feels that the new changes will go a long way to simplify the process and make the system stronger. “These changes will streamline and simplify the process, while ensuring the system is strong and secure,” he said.

Noting that the changes have come as good news for both business and tourism, Osborne said: “What we want to see is Chinese tourists, just as a generation ago we had a whole wave of Japanese tourists, the new phenomenon in the world is Chinese tourism. That’s fantastic for the British hospitality and tourist industry.”

Earlier, addressing a group of University students in Beijing, Osborne made it clear that his visit to China was about much more than a collection of business deals. Calling for strengthening understanding between both the countries by intensifying friendship, he said such an attempt would enhance “the lives of all our citizens”. Notwithstanding the existing differences between China and the UK, Osborne said every effort must be made to point out the areas of disagreement. However, that should not be done in a disrespectful manner (for both), but by trying to understand each other and working together in peaceful cooperation, he added.