UK?Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne Sunday announced a number of measures to simplify and streamline the visa application process for visitors from China.

The British administration introduced a new pilot scheme which will allow selected Chinese travel agents to apply for UK visas by submitting just the EU's Schengen visa form, rather than two separate applications.?This will reduce duplication for agents taking tourists to both the UK and the Schengen area.

Chinese visitors will enjoy a new 24 hour 'super priority' visa service?starting from next summer.

The VIP mobile visa service, which is currently operated in Beijing and Shanghai, will be gradually expanded to the whole country. This service enables visa teams to go to applicants to collect their completed forms and biometric data, with the whole process taking less than five minutes.

"These changes will streamline and simplify the visa application process for Chinese visitors, while ensuring the system is strong and secure. This is good news for British business and tourism," Osborne said in Beijing during his five day visit to China.

"We are continuing to attract the brightest and best to work and study in the UK, while preventing immigration abuse and bringing net migration down to the tens of thousands,"UK Home Secretary Theresa May.

"Our Chinese visa system already provides an excellent service and figures demonstrate that Chinese tourists are increasingly choosing to visit the UK. We will continue to make further improvements wherever possible for visitors travelling independently or as part of a group," Theresa added.

China is one of the UK's priority markets for tourism and business. In 2012, 210,000 visas were issued to visiting Chinese nationals who went on to contribute around ￡300 million to the British economy.

Chinese students make up the largest group of foreign nationals in UK schools and universities.

The UK is also the number one destination for Chinese investment in Europe, attracting nearly ￡2 billion in the last year alone and more than 600 Chinese businesses who now have a presence in the UK.

Background

The UK already offers a competitive service to Chinese visa applicants, including:

12 Visa Application Centres across China, more than any other country outside Asia.

An optional five day priority visa service for eligible tourists, business visitors and skilled workers.

Guides on the visa application process in Chinese for business visitors, independent travellers and Approved Destination Status travellers.

A Prime Time service in six of our Visa Application Centres, offering extended opening hours for those who need the convenience of an appointment outside of usual business hours.

96% of Chinese visa applications to the UK are approved and (non-settlement) visas were processed on average in less than seven days in the first half of 2013.

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