China to Resume Issuing Foreign Visas of All Types

Today, 14 March 2023, the Foreign Ministry’s Department of Consular Affairs of China announced a few changes in the policies of Chinese visa issuance and entry to China from abroad. 

From 15 March 2023, China’s visa offices abroad will resume issuing all types of visas to allow foreign visitors to travel to the country more easily. With the same purpose, port visa authorities will resume the issuance of port visas.

For the first time in three years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country will reopen its borders to foreign tourists.

As for people who have valid visas to travel to China with a date of issuance prior to 28 March 2020, they will be able to use them as long as the visas have not expired yet. 

In addition, some visa exemption policies will be reinstated, such as:

• Hainan visa-free policy
• Visa-free policy for foreign cruise-group-tours via Shanghai Port
• Guangdong visa-free policy for foreign tour groups coming from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao
• Visa-free policy for foreign tour groups arriving in Guilin, Guangxi province, from countries included in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Myanmar, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. 

Application for Chinese visas require the completion of an online form and the submission of an original passport valid for at least 6 months and two recently taken passport pictures, among other relevant documents that depend on the type of visa that the applicant is applying for.