From Reuters:
Foreigners traveling to mainland China through Hong Kong are being subjected to new visa restrictions that one foreign business association has criticized as inflexible, costly and lacking transparency.
The rules for issuing visas in Hong Kong were tightened in the past week amid increased security just months before the Beijing Olympics. Hong Kong has been a main entry point to the mainland for foreign business executives because of the convenience of shuttling across the boundary and the previous ease of getting visas.
Citizens of 33 countries, including India, Pakistan, Iraq and Nepal, have been barred from applying for mainland visas in Hong Kong and will now have to apply from their home countries.
Read also China imposes new visa restrictions from AFP and “The World is Welcome Here…Except You, You and You” from Beijing-based blogger Josh Chin.
