THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIJING DOES NOT MANAGE THE CHAOYANG DISTRICT VISA SERVICE CENTER

In April 2006, the Chaoyang District Government of the City of Beijing opened a Visa Service Center located on Xiu Shui Dong Jie, near the entrance to the Visa Section of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.  While this Center was designed for use by those applying for U.S. Visas, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing does NOT control the Center or the services it provides, nor does the Embassy receive any of the fees that the Center collects. 

There is a charge for most of the services provided by the Service Center.  However, the Embassy does not require visa applicants to use any of these services, except for the Post Office visa delivery or pick up service which all applicants receiving a U.S. visa must continue to use.  It is applicants’ personal choice to decide whether to use or not to use the other services provided by this Visa Service Center.  Please note that the staff of the Center has NO authority to check applicants’ visa application forms and has NO authority to decide whether the forms are acceptable by the Embassy. 

Applicants do NOT need to enter or pass through the Center in order to enter the Visa Section.  They are welcome to enter and use the Center’s waiting room, but there is NO charge for this and there is NO obligation to purchase services provided by the Center.  Visa applicants will be allowed to enter the Center regardless of the date and time of their visa interview appointment.  Those wishing to enter the Service Center may gain entry by showing a valid passport.  However, visa applicants will only be allowed to enter the Visa Section of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing at their scheduled visa interview “Entry Time.”

The opening of the Chaoyang Government’s Visa Service Center will not affect the Embassy’s current system for obtaining visa interview appointments.  Applicants are NOT required to schedule appointments via the Chaoyang Government’s Visa Service Center.  All NIV applicants should call the Visa Information Call Center of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China at 4008-872-333 to schedule a visa interview appointment.

Finally, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing would like to emphasize again that the Visa Service Center located near the entrance to the Visa Section of the Embassy is opened by Beijing’s Chaoyang District Government, NOT the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the Embassy does not endorse the services it provides.