Let's hope they extend their opening hours though as their visa centres are only open one hour per weekday in the afternoon for fingerprint capture at the moment on a first come first served basis; if you don't get seen by the time they close, bad luck come back on another day and try again!

Details here on a site that just does visa applications: http://my.realrussia.co.uk/index.php?/News/NewsItem/View/270/fingerprinting-to-be-introduced-for-chinese-visa-applications-in-the-uk 

with confirmation of the first phase of the changes here on the official Chinese Embassy's visa application website: http://bio.visaforchina.org/LON2_EN/generalinformation/news/283361.shtml 

So that will require a trip to London, Manchester or Edinburgh for some of the China tours with start dates later this year and for next year - postal application alone will no longer suffice.

I have booked the October 2019 Top of the World tour so will definitely be affected by these changes. Although I live in the Midlands I am regularly in London for work though so it won't be too much of an inconvenience in my case, as I'll just tie a work and visa visit together on the same day. As I'm British and I have an iPod to pass the time listening to BBC podcasts, I don't mind getting in the queue early to be sure of being seen! 🙂 Not much fun if you have difficulty standing in a queue for a long time though.

Fingerprint taking has been implemented for certain categories of visa but not for Tourist visas yet.

Although we have heard the rumours regarding this, Chinese Authorities have given us no indication that this will be rolled out to those requiring a Tourist visa. They have not confirmed this is happening.

If/when we receive any changes regarding the visa process, we will of course inform customers immediately.

Thanks,

Vickie

Hi Pahill,

Fingerprint taking has been implemented for certain categories of visa but not for Tourist visas yet.

Although we have heard the rumours regarding this, Chinese Authorities have given us no indication that this will be rolled out to those requiring a Tourist visa. They have not confirmed this is happening.

If/when we receive any changes regarding the visa process, we will of course inform customers immediately.

Thanks,

Vickie

Yes, I looked at this as I am about to renew my Chinese visa.

There is a brief mention on the Chinese embassy site (http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/visa/) in the visa FAQs, which implies that (for now at least) it applies to certain categories of individual, presumably depending on the entries on the visa application form:

"20. Does Chinese visa application require interview and fingerprints collection?

Answer: According to Chinese laws and regulations, visa officers may interview certain applicants and collect their 10 fingerprints."

Countries which require fingerprinting usually do this at the border on arrival, so perhaps China will introduce this in due course?

Incidentally, the new regulations require that the visa application form be completed "electronically" rather than manually as before - but the downloadable form on the embassy website is an editable pdf, so that is no problem in practice.

Jim

Regards

Jaya

I just had a letter from Just You confirming this and refunding my China visa fee as they can no longer do the whole process for folks now. On the plus side you can at least book an appointment at one of their four visa processing centres (London, Manchester, Edinburgh & Belfast) rather than queue and hope they have enough time to fit you in as they used to do.

https://bio.visaforchina.org/LON2_EN/generalinformation/news/283370.shtml 

And it's happened. China now requires in-person visa applications with fingerprints taken as of 1st November 2018 for all applicants and visa types. Over-70s don't need their fingerprints taking but they still have to apply in person at a visa processing centre.

I just had a letter from Just You confirming this and refunding my China visa fee as they can no longer do the whole process for folks now. On the plus side you can at least book an appointment at one of their four visa processing centres (London, Manchester, Edinburgh & Belfast) rather than queue and hope they have enough time to fit you in as they used to do.

https://bio.visaforchina.org/LON2_EN/generalinformation/news/283370.shtml 

> Over-70s don't need their fingerprints taking but they still have to apply in person at a visa processing centre.

There is some information about this on the Wendy Wu website, with a FAQ entry which suggests that over-70s need not attend in person:

• What is the process If I am over 70 years old? 

  You can send the visa application, photo and passport to us as normal in the post by royal mail special delivery 8 weeks prior to departure. Passengers over 70 do not require finger prints to be taken.

Since tourist visas are currently two-year and multi-entry, presumably returning travellers of any age are also unaffected until their visas expire.

> a letter from Just You confirming this and refunding my China visa fee as they can no longer do the whole process

There is some information (e.g. itinerary with dates and detailed addresses, details of "inviter")  required for completion of the application form which I think only JY will be able to provide:  will this be supplied free of charge, or will there be a new "administration fee" for this?

Having been informed of the new initiative I managed to get a appointment for the 31st of October but  my fingerprints were still taken. Not sure why they started taking fingerprints one day but they you go.

A couple of  points I wish I’d known before I applied are.

  (1) The Visa application form which has to be filled out electronically (not hand written) has to be downloaded from the Chinese embassy website and filled out on your computer or your smart phone as you cannot fill it out directly from the Chinese  Embassy website.

  (2) The appointment times don’t seem to be adhered to as there were 20 people in front of me when I turned up for my appointment. When I asked a person waiting there when his appointment was he told me 3 o’clock (1pm at the time).

We will send you an application form to complete and return to us together with a photo and photocopy of your passport.

We will then go online and complete the application on your behalf, adding hotel addresses and inviter details. We will make sure the application is correct for lodging and also provide a detailed itinerary to support your application.

All of this is free of charge.

All you need to do is go online and book an appointment so you can lodge your application and provide finger prints. This way you can choose a date and time to suit.

I hope this helps!

Many thanks,

Vickie