UK Visas & Immigration recently announced a new scheme which will simplify the process of inviting colleagues from Chinese companies to the UK. The ‘Select Business Scheme UK’ will be available to members of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) and the British Chamber of Commerce in China. It will also be offered to members of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and companies referred by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).

Under the scheme, representatives of Chinese businesses will only need to provide an application form, an invitation letter and a letter of employment to support their visa application. CBBC members who participate in the scheme will be provided with a welcome pack, and will be assigned a single point of contact within UK Visas & Immigration who will offer support and information for urgent enquiries. In addition, members participating in the scheme will receive news updates and important information from UK Visas & Immigration on further improvements and changes to the visa service.

“The introduction of the scheme demonstrates a further strengthening of the relationship between UK Visas & Immigration, the China-Britain Business Council and the British Chamber of Commerce in China,” said Dominique Hardy, Regional Manager China and DPRK, UK Visas & Immigration.

Lord Sassoon, chairman of CBBC, explained: “Securing a visa can be a concern for Chinese companies. I wholeheartedly welcome the Select Business Scheme UK, which will streamline the process for those companies, and I very much hope that CBBC’s members will take advantage of the service to strengthen links between Chinese and British companies.”

The initiative is especially welcome on the eve of CBBC’s flagship annual China Outbound Conference, which will be held this Wednesday, 22 October in Beijing.

“The China Outbound Conference is specially designed to help Chinese investors explore the UK market, and will be attended by a large number of major Chinese companies,” said Lord Sassoon.

“The Select Business Scheme UK will simplify the visa process for companies such as these by reducing the number of documents required to support an application.”

China-Britain Business Council

The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) is the leading organisation helping UK companies grow and develop their business with China. We help companies of all sizes and sectors, whether new entrants or established operations. CBBC has worked with China for 60 years and our team has extensive experience of doing business there. We offer practical in-market assistance, services, industry initiatives and a membership programme delivering access, seminars and networking through our network of 13 offices in China and 10 in the UK. www.cbbc.org

British Chamber of Commerce in China

The British Chamber of Commerce in China (BritCham) is a membership organisation for British business focused on boosting UK-China trade and investment. We operate as an independent, not-for-profit organisation with a strong and diverse membership. With over two decades’ worth of business experience in China, we provide intelligence, advice, and networking opportunities for our members, helping their business grow in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. In 2009 we entered a strategic partnership with the China-Britain Business Council which provides members of the Chamber with reciprocal membership of CBBC, giving them an even stronger network and increased business support.