After consideration and analysis of the results of the Police investigations about alleged irregularities in the processing of Visas for citizens of the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established that: · there have been no irregularities or criminal intent in the operation of any of the Maltese diplomatic officers in the Beijing Embassy
· current administrative procedures could have been followed more strictly.
The Ministry considers that the credibility of Visa processing by the Embassy in Beijing has been irreversibly prejudiced and in the interest of the credibility of the operations of the Embassy of Malta in Beijing, it has been decided to change all diplomatic staff currently serving in this Embassy.
The Ministry is in the process of, conjointly with the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, reviewing in detail the procedure for the processing and issuance of Visas, in particular for students coming to Malta to study English.
