US consulate in Wuhan halts visa interviews over ‘unsafe’ heat, lack of air con

The US consulate in the central Chinese city of Wuhan has suspended all visa interviews, citing “unsafe” indoor temperatures it blamed on building management.

In a public notice posted on its official social media account on Friday, the consulate said temperatures in its interview waiting area exceeded 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) in the morning.

It accused the building management of “routinely delaying the activation of air conditioning” and criticised it for imposing “extra security procedures” that required visa applicants to wait in the sun for extended periods.

The suspension comes during peak US student visa season in China, with about 200,000 processed annually by the Wuhan mission alone.

“We are working with the building management to improve conditions,” the consulate said. “We will resume visa services as soon as we can ensure the health and safety of our applicants and staff.”

It apologised for the inconvenience and said cancelled appointments could be rescheduled through the visa application system.

South China Morning Post