The US embassy visa call center in China has temporarily shut down after operating for less than two months, which means all visa appointments for Chinese citizens will be postponed. 

The closure, beginning last Friday, means all visa appointments for Chinese citizens will be indefinitely postponed.

A US Embassy spokesperson in China has stated the date visa appointments are to resume is not set, but people who have already had visa appointments can continue to apply for visas.

Currently, the call center is the only way for Chinese citizens to apply for US visa appointments and the embassy notes they will take measures to deal with the problem as soon as possible.

The US Embassy in China is investigating the case now.

The company in Shanghai which is responsible for running the call center has declined to answer questions about the shutdown.

Meanwhile, any changes of visa appointment will be released on the US Embassy' website soon.

(Cri.com April 27, 2004)