Exclusive | United States voids 10-year multiple-entry visas for some Chinese researchers
- Specialist in China-US ties says status was revoked without explanation
The US embassy in Beijing has revoked 10-year multiple-entry visas issued to some researchers specialising in China-US relations, a further tightening of entry controls as ties between to the two countries worsen.
In November 2014, China and the United States agreed to give all passport holders seeking to visit for business or tourism reciprocal multi-entry status for up to 10 years so they did not need to keep applying for visas.
One Chinese researcher whose 10-year visa had been revoked recently said: “The embassy did not give me any explanation. And I have to attend an interview with the embassy’s consul general to get my US visa in the future.”
The researcher said that so far the cancellations appeared to be limited to a small number of specialists at American studies institutes.
But there have been complaints in China that the review process for US visa applications has become longer, forcing some researchers to cancel their US trips.