The Canadian Embassy in China announced on Tuesday it would open three new visa application centers to cope with the rising number of visitors to the country.

The first center was opened in Beijing on Tuesday, and the other two will be opened in Shanghai on June 5 and in Guangzhou on June 25.

Previously, applications were processed at the embassy in Beijing.

"The demand for Canadian visas grows every year as we see an increasing number of Chinese visitors traveling to Canada," said Sidney Frank, the program manager of the visa section of the Canadian Embassy.

The centers would make the visa process more convenient, he said.

The embassy would only accept applications submitted in person from now on, and working hours for such applications would be shortened.

The Beijing center, open from 8 A.M. to 3 P.M. Monday to Friday excluding embassy holidays, would provide online tracking of applications.

Canadian visa rules were unchanged and the Canadian Embassy would continue to make all visa decisions.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2008)