The Chongqing Visa Office opened Tuesday at Jiangbei International airport in Chongqing, the largest metropolis in western China.

The office promises to handle all visa formalities for each foreign passport holder in 10 minutes. The process used to take at least five days.

Chongqing, the only municipality in western China, has opened air routes to 50 domestic cities and 70 foreign cities, receiving more than 100,000 overseas passengers annually.

(Xinhua 06/13/2001)