Press Release

U.S. Consulate Streamlines Visa Delivery Service

October 21, 2005

Starting October 31, 2005, the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai will begin implementing a new passport pass-back system that will offer greater convenience to visa applicants.  Successful visa applicants will no longer have to wait or return to the U.S. Consulate to pick up their passport and U.S. visa.  Shanghai consular district customers will have their passports returned directly to their homes via Post Bureau courier or made available for direct pick-up at a local post office.  A similar system is already in place at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou.
 

• Self Pick-Up:  Applicants can pick up their own passport at the Shanghai Post Office located at 915 Julu Road two business days after their interview.  Applicants using this service must pick up their passport within 15 days.

 or 

• Home Mail Delivery:  Applicants can have their passports delivered to their homes within four business days of their interview. 
   

After an applicant is approved for a visa, the applicant will take the receipt for his or her passport to the EMS booth within the Consular waiting room. The Shanghai Post Bureau EMS representative will assist the customer to fill out a mailing label, ensure that the information is correct, and enter the customer’s name, ticket number, and date of birth into their computer system.  This system will assign a tracking number for each address.  Customers will be able to access the tracking system by telephone to monitor the delivery process.

Pick-up and delivery fees range from RMB 20 to 105 depending on the delivery address and the number of passports.  Applicants should be sure to bring sufficient funds with them to their visa appointment.