This serves to notify that:
In accordance with the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China, as of 16th December 2019, all visa applicants including Ugandan citizens will be requested to leave their fingerprints (all ten fingers) as they apply for a visa to China (excluding those who apply for the visas for the two Chinese Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau) through this Embassy, with the following exemptions:
I. Applicants under the age of 14 or over the age of 70.
II. Applicants holding diplomatic passports, or those who qualify for diplomatic, official or courtesy visas.
III. Applicants who apply for a visa with the same passport, which they used to apply for a visa to China and have already left their fingerprints, within the last five (5) years.
In such cases, the applicants are requested to demonstrate the Biometric Visa on THE SAME PASSPORT, within the last five (5) years, as they follow through the application process.
IV. Applicants whose all ten fingers suffer from mutilation and whose fingerprints cannot be collected.
Please note that all applicants are requested to have their fingerprints collected in person at the Embassy's Visa Office. Applicants who use other's fingerprints or have their fingerprints forged may be denied entry into China, and shall be held responsible for any consequences including legal ones themselves.
Meanwhile, for the purpose of their better planning, all applicants are recommended to complete their online visa application forms at https://cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn, and secure their appointments for visa application at https://avas.cs.mfa.gov.cn, in advance. Please refer to "Important Notice: Launch of the China Online Visa Application (COVA) and Appointment for Visa Application Submission (AVAS)" on the website of this Embassy.
The above is a technical arrangement in furbishing the personal information for the visa application that China adopts in line with common international practices, and not any alteration to the conditions and/or requirements in applying visas to China. China remains committed to improving the level of facilitation for the exchanges between China and the broader world, welcomes foreigners to visit China, and stands ready to provide all necessary visa facilitation therefrom.
The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Uganda reserves the right to final interpretation of this Notice.
24th September 2019
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
In the Republic of Uganda