The Danish missions in China are issuing visas like never before and in particular to tourists.
Chinese citizens flock to Denmark. This year the Danish missions in China have experienced an increase in issued visas of approximately 20% compared to last year, and the picture is getting even better when looking at Chinese tourist visas to Denmark. In 2013 twice as many Chinese citizens have got a tourist visa to Denmark compared to the same period in 2012.
By the end of May 2013 the Danish missions in China have issued 8,032 visas to Chinese citizens, including 1,823 tourist visas. For the same period last year the overall number was 6,718 visas, including 1,226 tourist visas.
“I am glad that so many Chinese citizens go to Denmark on either tourist trip or business trip, and I hope that the number of issued visas will continue to increase in the coming years,” says the Danish Ambassador to China, Mr Friis Arne Petersen.
Extra staff to handle visa applications
It is not a coincidence that more and more Chinese apply for a visa at a Danish visa centre in China. For the last years, the missions have increased their marketing effort to promote the ever more flexible procedures for applicants.
The missions have a strong cooperation with the Chinese and Danish travel agencies and organizations through meetings, where they are updated on our latest procedures for applying for a visa. The aim is to promote tourism to Denmark, while eliminating the misunderstandings which often occur about the visa procedures.
This summer the missions have been reinforced with extra staff to handle even more visa applications, and particularly focusing on easy conditions for tourists, whose main stay is Denmark. Due to these reinforcements and the massive marketing campaign, 1,823 tourist visas have been issued this year, and the summer season has just started.
Short processing time
The average case processing time at the Danish missions this year is three days, which means easy handling and issuing.
Denmark was among the first Schengen countries to accept applications from individual tourists. We have a well-functioning key account system for the companies, which have substantial business in Denmark. This year so far, the missions have issued 25% multiple entry visas with one or more years’ validity out of the total number of visas issued.
For applicants who are known at the Danish mission for their reliability and for their travel record to Schengen, it is possible to get exemption for personal appearance, when applying.
Denmark was also one of the first Schengen countries to open visa centres in China, to the benefit of the applicants, as they offer longer opening hours, can assist with filling in the application and much more. This spring Denmark opened its latest visa center in Chongqing, ensuring that there are visa centres in all cities in China, where there is a Danish mission.
The effort to improve the service level will continue and Denmark expects that the increase we are currently seeing is just the beginning.
“We are doing our best to improve the visa conditions to Denmark. In April we opened a new visa centre in Chongqing so applicants from the southwest of China no longer have to travel to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to apply for a Danish visa, which will save them of a trip of approximately 1,400 kilometers,” says Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen
