Since Jan. 1 when Chinese travel agencies were authorized to help people with their paperwork for visas to Singapore, more than 150 people have received tourist visas from China International Travel Agency in Shenzhen.

The fee is 600 yuan per person.

Singaporean tourism authorities launched a new policy last December which converted previous three visa categories — tourist, visiting relatives and visiting friends — into one tourist visa. The validity time was extended to from three to five weeks. And the stay was also prolonged to from 14 to 30 days.

Forty-three travel agencies in China were authorized as visa agents. In Shenzhen only the China International Travel Agency is entitled to represent people applying for the new visas.

The new policy can help save applicants trouble because they no longer need to go to the Singaporean embassy in Beijing or its consulate in Guangzhou to get their visas. The travel agency takes only six days after it gets your documents to issue the visa.

Among those who have received their visas from the travel agency, 20 percent are residents of nearby cities such as Zhongshan, Dongguan, Shantou and Shanwei.

Adding to the visa convenience is a direct flight between Shenzhen and Singapore which has been in operation since Jan. 16, 2004. There are three flights weekly between the two cities.

A visa applicant is required to deposit 10,000 yuan with the travel agency when they receive the visa. The money will be returned after the traveler returns from Singapore. If they overstay their visit beyond two months they will not be refunded.

(Shenzhen Daily March 2, 2004)