The American Chamber Visa Referral Program with the U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou was initiated in 1997. It began as a small program but has grown steadily over the past few years. In 2000, the Chamber processed 513 visas for our member companies and in 2003 the office handled 1547 cases.
") document.write("The day-to-day operation and administration of the program is handled by Ms. Fion Lee. She works directly with Chamber member companies to collect the necessary paperwork, deliver and pick-up all applications, and request return reports when required. She keeps detailed records of all visas processed through the AmCham office.
") document.write("Please Note that:
") document.write("The AmCham office deals with designated couriers/ representatives of member companies ¨C not directly with applicants (except in some interview or non-Guangzhou cases).
") document.write("The AmCham office must handle cases submitted by the AmCham members throughout the process. Any questions or problems go through the Chamber office; the company should not contact the Consulate directly.
") document.write("On occasion the Consulate may ask for additional documentation or an interview. They will notify AmCham and the office will notify the courier/contact. At that time, the Chamber is no longer involved in the case, but the applicant will work directly with the Consulate to provide the documentation or go for an interview.
") document.write("In order for Member companies to continue to use the Visa Program, the Chamber office must receive within one week of completion of the business trip, a copy of the return page from the applicants Passport.
") document.write("Also, some cases may take longer than the usual one-day or one-week processing time. This is strictly at the discretion of the Consulate.
") document.write("The AmCham office has no authority to make decisions regarding visa applications (once submitted) and must adhere to the guidelines of the program as we have agreed to them with the Consulate. Changes in the program must be discussed with the Consulate and agreed to by both the Consulate and the American Chamber of Commerce.
") document.write("The AmCham office can refuse to submit any applications to the Consulate that the office may find questionable, do not meet the requirements as stipulated in the Agreement, or that do not include all the proper documentation. All submissions from the American Chamber to the Consulate are at the discretion of the Chamber Office.
") document.write("The AmCham office, in consultation with the Board of Governors, also reserves the right to not admit Corporate Members to the program or to suspend companiesĄŻ visa privileges as and when appropriate.
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