The British Home Secretary on Friday ordered officials to issue the six-month visa that prominent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei applied for but was earlier denied.
On July 30, Ai, 57, posted on social media site Instagram a letter by the British Home Office which stated that it was giving him a 20-day visa instead of the longer business visa on grounds that he failed to declare his “criminal conviction,” without stating what the conviction was.
The following day, July 31, British Home Secretary Theresa May reviewed Ai’s case, told officials to grant the visa, and apologized to the artist, according to BBC. The British Home Office has also written a letter “apologizing for the inconvenience caused.”
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