The first centre will be in Beijing.

The agreement came into force on March 29 2016. The Beijingcentre is expected to start operating on April 20.

As of April 8, the provisional version of the VAC’s webpage (https://cy.tlscontact.com/cn/BJS) is expected to be available which should be fully operational from May 4.

During the period from April 8 until May 4, applicants will be able to contact the TLScontact’s call centre (calls from China: 021 60168632, calls from overseas: +86 021 60168633) to arrange an appointment for submitting  their visa applications.

As of May 5, all appointments will be made electronically through the VAC’s webpage.

The VAC Beijing will be open daily (Monday to Friday) from 8.30am until 12.00pm and will observe Cypriot public holidays, and the official public holidays in China.

According to the commercial company, the applications received by TLScontact are transferred to the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Beijing, which has the exclusive right and responsibility to deal with the applications. TLScontact personnel are not involved in decision making. Passports are returned by the Embassy of Cyprus in Beijing to the VAC in sealed envelopes.

During an official visit to China in October 2015 President Nicos Anastasiades said that Cyprus would create 15 authorised centres for processing visa applications in Chinese cities where there are no Cypriot diplomatic missions. He said at the time this was a practical measure to make it easier for Chinese tourists and businessmen to visit Cyprus.

The Cypriot embassy in Beijing processes visa applications for Cyprus from applicants residing in China, Japan, South and North Korea, Mongolia, Laos and Cambodia.

Source: Cyprus Mail