Consulate shopping
Encyclopedia
Consulate shopping is the practice of applying for visas
at different consulate posts - or choosing a more "suitable" post in advance, in the hope of finding one that will be more sympathetic to the applicant and thus approve the visa, or in order to have one's application processed faster. It was typically associated with making a visa application at a visa office located outside of one's home country.
The term "consulate shopping" may have appeared by analogy with "forum shopping
" - choosing the best jursidiction for litigation.
In the past, "consulate shopping" was not an uncommon practice for both visitor and permanent resident visas. For example, a Russian citizen would choose to apply for a visitor visa to the US at a US consulate somewhere in Eastern Europe, rather than one in Russia, based on the belief that, due to different office cultures of the consular staff, the likelihood of rejection would be lower, say, in Budapest than in Moscow. Similarly, a person planning a trip to mainland China may plan on obtaining his or her visitor's visa in a visa office in Hong Kong
, immediately before entering the mainland, instead of doing it in advance in their own home country.
When applying for permanent residence
in Canada, a person living in India, but possessing a multiple entry visitor visa to the UK or a Schengen
country could choose to file his application with a Canadian visa office in European, rather than one in India, because the posted processing times were supposed to be much shorter in Europe.
Lately, many countries cut down on the practice of consulate shopping by requiring that permanent residence visa applications, and often visitor visa applications as well, be filed only in visa offices within the country of the applicant's citizenship of residence. As of the summer 2008 People's Republic of China
joined this trend, requiring all visa applicants only to apply in the Chinese consulate in the country where they are citizens or permanent residents; moreover, in some countries served by multiple consulates (as the USA is), the application must be filed in the consular district serving the area where the applicant resides.
An important exception to that trend is that as of July 2010 the U.S. Consulates in China have liberalized their appointment policy. Now, persons who reside in Mainland China can choose to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at any of the Mainland posts--Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai, or Shenyang.
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
at different consulate posts - or choosing a more "suitable" post in advance, in the hope of finding one that will be more sympathetic to the applicant and thus approve the visa, or in order to have one's application processed faster. It was typically associated with making a visa application at a visa office located outside of one's home country.
The term "consulate shopping" may have appeared by analogy with "forum shopping
Forum shopping
Forum shopping is the informal name given to the practice adopted by some litigants to get their legal case heard in the court thought most likely to provide a favorable judgment...
" - choosing the best jursidiction for litigation.
In the past, "consulate shopping" was not an uncommon practice for both visitor and permanent resident visas. For example, a Russian citizen would choose to apply for a visitor visa to the US at a US consulate somewhere in Eastern Europe, rather than one in Russia, based on the belief that, due to different office cultures of the consular staff, the likelihood of rejection would be lower, say, in Budapest than in Moscow. Similarly, a person planning a trip to mainland China may plan on obtaining his or her visitor's visa in a visa office in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, immediately before entering the mainland, instead of doing it in advance in their own home country.
When applying for permanent residence
Permanent residence
Permanent residence may refer to:* Permanent Residence * Permanent residence * Permanent residency* Permanent resident...
in Canada, a person living in India, but possessing a multiple entry visitor visa to the UK or a Schengen
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
country could choose to file his application with a Canadian visa office in European, rather than one in India, because the posted processing times were supposed to be much shorter in Europe.
Lately, many countries cut down on the practice of consulate shopping by requiring that permanent residence visa applications, and often visitor visa applications as well, be filed only in visa offices within the country of the applicant's citizenship of residence. As of the summer 2008 People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
joined this trend, requiring all visa applicants only to apply in the Chinese consulate in the country where they are citizens or permanent residents; moreover, in some countries served by multiple consulates (as the USA is), the application must be filed in the consular district serving the area where the applicant resides.
An important exception to that trend is that as of July 2010 the U.S. Consulates in China have liberalized their appointment policy. Now, persons who reside in Mainland China can choose to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at any of the Mainland posts--Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai, or Shenyang.