Those looking to apply for a visa to China can do so from Friday at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre's new premises in 80 Robinson Road.

The new centre on the sixteenth floor is twice the size of the old premises in Malacca Street, and has double the number of call lines to enable faster processing of visa applications.

The centre aims to reduce waiting time at its premises to about five minutes. At its old location, visa applicants could wait an hour during peak periods.

Customers, however, can expect to pay higher visa processing fees at the new centre. Singaporeans, for instance, will pay 30 per cent more, or $65. The centre attributes this to increased rental rates, as well as manpower and equipment costs for its new premises.