No cap on UK visas for Chinese during Olympics

The British government will not set a cap on the number of visitor visas issued to Chinese tourists during the London Olympics period, China Youth Daily reported Saturday quoting Damian Green, visiting British immigration minister in Beijing.

All Chinese tourists who plan to visit the UK this summer are welcome, no matter if they are coming for the Olympics, on a business trip or for recreational shopping, said Green, dismissing rumors that only a limited number of Chinese tourists will be allowed to visit during the Olympics.

Visitors will not be required to hold an Olympic ticket to get a visa, added He Simin, an official with UK Border Agency.

An increasing number of Chinese people have been visiting the UK in recent years. In 2011, the UK issued a total of 205,000 visitor visas to Chinese visitors, a year-on-year increase of 30 percent, and the application approval rate was as high as 95 percent.