ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008 organizers issue urgent visa advice to
avoid being caught in Olympic backlog

Visitors and exhibitors planning to attend the ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008 exhibition are being urged to apply for their visa without delay. Most foreign nationals will need a visa to enter China for the show, which is being held in Shanghai from July 27 to 31.

Show officials are warning that the Olympic Games, in Beijing from August 8 to 24, is already causing a backlog of visa applications in Chinese embassies around the world – so it will take longer than usual to process and validate requests. With 100,000 visitors expected at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008 – including a large proportion of both exhibitors and visitors from outside China – the need for visa applications to be submitted urgently is strongly recommended by the organizers.

Says CIEC spokesperson Anne Zheng: “It is absolutely vital that anyone who requires a visa for China acts now to ensure that the Chinese embassy in their country has time to process it. The Olympic Games has understandably put extra pressure on the system, and embassy officials are doing all they can to deal with applications as quickly and smoothly as possible. But we are very keen to ensure that our ITMA ASIA + CITME visitors do not get left behind in the race to obtain their visas.” There are strict guidelines which must be followed by all visa applicants, and it is imperative that the correct documents are submitted along with the visa forms. These are:

v     Original copy of an invitation letter issued by an authorized organisation.

v     Confirmation of flight bookings to and from China.

v     Hotel confirmation.

Zheng also stressed that the invitation letter must be issued by an organisation, department or company authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This means a central, provincial or municipal government body, a foreign economic relations or trade commission, a national import/export corporation or industrial council. “We understand that some exhibitors or visitors may have partners in China who are helping with their invitation letter. However, if the letter does not come from one of these approved bodies, their visa application could be rejected.”

An approved invitation letter can also be provided by BJITME (Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co. Limited), the local organizer of ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008. In this case, the invitation is issued by the China National Textile and Apparel Council, which is authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Invitations from BJITME can be ordered from the websites www.itmaasia.com and www.citme.com.cn which have detailed information on the visa application process, as well as all the information visitors will need to make their trip to the exhibition as simple as possible. BJITME can send out original invitation letters by airmail, but a courier service is recommended to avoid the risk of postal delays.

Maria Avery, CEMATEX Secretary General, says that all infrastructure is in place for a highly successful exhibition, for both exhibitors and visitors, and the first-ever joint ITMA ASIA + CITME show is on course to provide a powerful technological and commercial focus for the textile industry in its most vibrant markets. Ms Avery added: “We are looking forward to welcoming large numbers of visitors from both China and other countries to the event, and we would like to encourage all foreign visitors to submit their visa application immediately, to avoid possible disruption to their trip. ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008 is going to be an exciting event, and it would be a pity if anyone were to miss it if they were unable to obtain a visa.”