The US Embassy in Beijing released a new schedule of visa application procedures on Sunday, indicating officials will accept applications on a walk-in basis. 

With the Information Call Center for US Visas still closed due to allegations it was illegally operating, the embassy and four consulates in China will begin to accept applications from all comers, embassy officials said.

The call center, which was in charge of scheduling visa appointments and providing general information to the public, ceased operations last month after allegations surfaced that it was overcharging.

Beginning June 3, the US Embassy in Beijing will begin accepting visa applicants on a walk-in and first-come, first-served basis, said Sun Bo, an embassy spokesman.

Sun said holders of ordinary passports applying for business, tourism and other unofficial business can visit the embassy on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday starting at 7:30 am. 

Government passport holders can visit the embassy on Wednesday from 7:30 am.

Student and exchange visa applicants, and American Chamber of Commerce applicants will be interviewed from Monday through Friday after 12:30 pm.

Sun advised applicants to check the embassy's website frequently for updates on visa application procedures.

US officials are still accepting applications from those who already have scheduled appointments.

Currently, US universities are suffering a decline in the number of applications from international students as a result of the strict visa policies.

Richard C. Levin, president of Yale University, told China Central Television on Saturday that the number of overseas students at Yale had decreased by around 30 percent.

Xu Jie, a senior at the Beijing-based Renmin University of China, said she did not apply to a US university although that country was once her destination of choice.

She was, however, admitted to a university in the Republic of Korea.

(China Daily May 17, 2004)