With the upgraded China-U.S. visa policy in effect, around 7,000 to 8,000 Chinese citizens were granted by the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai with 10-year visas on Wednesday.
Consulate authorities expect an outpour on the number of applicants after the policy change and will be deploying additional staff to stick with the visa processing time of five days.
Visa Unit Chief John M. Grondelski said that people with no travel plans yet should not rush in applying for a visa since China already has a long-term reciprocal commitment with the United States. The scheme will grant Chinese tourists and businesspeople 10-year visas.
The 10-year visa, however, does not mean that the holder should stay in the United States for 10 years. What it means is that they can travel back and forth from China to the U.S. and vice versa within the 10-year period.
Officials said that the visa's category will determine the length of stay allowed and the validity will depend on each individual's case.
U.S. ambassador to China Max Baucus said in a video conference yesterday that the policy was the most important change in the consulate relationship between the U.S. and China ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations 35 years ago.
Baucus, speaking to the U.S. embassy in Beijing and U.S. consulates, said that the visa grant makes it more convenient for interested applicants and will save them a lot of money when traveling.
Although the application process and basic application fee still remains unchanged at $160, the new arrangement otherwise means that there would be a longer visa validity and no more annual application required.