The Chinese Visa Application Service Center in St. Petersburg, Russia's second largest city, officially opened on Tuesday.

At the opening ceremony, Zhang Xiaoqing, Chinese deputy consul general in St. Petersburg, said that the establishment of the Chinese visa application center in St. Petersburg is an important measure to facilitate the travel of foreign citizens to China.

Developing bilateral relations with China is one of the priorities of Russia's foreign policy, said Vladimir Alimov, deputy representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Petersburg. 

Authorized by the Chinese consulate general in St. Petersburg, the Chinese visa application center will provide services including collecting documents, biometric information and visa fees, but is not responsible for the approval of visas.

The Chinese consulate general will continue to receive applications for Chinese passports and travel documents, and offer notary certification and marriage registration services.

(Cover: St. Petersburg street view, St. Petersburg, Russia, June 25, 2021. /CFP)