In order to facilitate Chinese visa applicants in Italy, a new Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Florence is going to be opened officially on September 27th 2019. However the Centre is going to provide its services starting from September 23rd 2019. From September 23rd to September 26th  it will be possible to submit the visa applications at the Centre, paying only the visa fee, without paying the service fee. The Centre is a commercial service organization recognized by Chinese Consulate-General to handle the daily routine work of processing ordinary visa applications, such as collecting visa fees, delivering passports and visas to the applicants.  
      The visa is generally issued in 8 working days. The Visa Centre in Florence does not provide express service. If the applicant needs express service, please apply for the visa at the Visa Centre in Rome or Milan. 
      After the opening of the Chinese Visa Application Center, holders of diplomatic or official passports, applicants for R visas, applicants for Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR visa or entry permit, should still submit the visa application directly to the Chinese Consulate in Florence.
      All the visa applications are approved by the Chinese Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Milan. The Chinese Visa Application Service Center does not participate in the Chinese visa approval process. Chinese embassies and consulates decide whether to issue visa or not as well as the visa type and validity, the duration of stay and the number of entries in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations. The Chinese Embassy or Consulate has the right to request additional documents or to request the applicant for an interview.

Address of the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Florence:
VIA LORENZO DI CREDI 20 50136, FIRENZE
Website: www.visaforchina.org
Tel: 055-293277
Business hours: Monday to Friday
Application submission: 9:00 - 15:00
Passport collection: 9:00 - 16:00
(Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays)