The British Embassy in Beijing has denied an application for a six-month business visa by Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. Instead, Ai was granted a 20-day entry clearance because the embassy said he failed to truthfully declare that he has a criminal record in China.

Ai posted a letter he got from the British Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday on Instagram. "It is a matter of public record that you have previously received a criminal conviction in China, and you have not declared this," the letter reads.

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Ai, who is a vocal critic of the Chinese government, has been investigated for corruption and other crimes several times. However, he has never been personally indicted or convicted of a criminal offense.

In 2011, Ai was arrested and spent over 80 days in jail. His company - Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd - was subsequently ordered to pay nearly $2 million (12 million yuan) in unpaid taxes and fines.

During his detention in 2011, Ai's passport was confiscated by the authorities. He received his passport earlier this month and expressed joy saying he feels "positive" and "maybe after so many years they [the government] understand me better."

Since Ai was never officially convicted, it is a puzzle why the British consulate has decided to deny his application for a business visa. In another post on Instagram, Ai said he had repeatedly tried to convince officials at the British Embassy and the UK Visa and Immigration Department of the accuracy of the information he had provided them, but without any success.

As a result, Ai may miss a major exhibition of his work at the Royal Academy of Arts in September.

Some critics have accused British authorities of attempting to prevent Ai from being in the country at the same time that President Xi Jinping will make an official visit later this year. President Xi will be in Britain in October and some believe the rejection of Ai's passport was meant to prevent him and his supporters from protesting during the visit of the Chinese president.

Ai is reportedly on his way to Berlin, Germany where he has a four-year multiple visa and work entry permit.

TagsAi Weiei British Visa, Ai Weiwei, Ai Weiwei Instagram, Ai Weiwei UK, Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd, Ai Weiwei Royal Academy of Arts, Ai Weiwei Visa