China Enacts Visa Reforms to Boost Tourism and Business Amid Economic Challenges

By IndraStra Global News Team

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In a strategic move to stimulate economic growth and foster international exchanges, China has recently introduced a comprehensive set of measures to further relax entry and visa procedures for foreign nationals. The National Immigration Administration (NIA, 国家移民管理局) unveiled this latest initiative as part of broader efforts to accelerate post-pandemic recovery in the world's second-largest economy.
This multifaceted package, announced on Thursday, builds upon earlier reforms implemented five months ago when Beijing initiated a series of measures aimed at facilitating the "free movement" of people, vehicles, and data. The current adjustments aim to attract more overseas visitors and rejuvenate people-to-people exchanges, responding to China's economy's persistent challenges.
The new rules, effective immediately, bring about several key changes. They include easing eligibility requirements for entry visas, waiving border inspections for transit at specific airports, and simplifying application procedures for entry visas, extensions of stay, and multiple-entry permits. According to NIA Deputy Commissioner Liu Haitao, these measures are designed "to adapt to the current trend of efficient and speedy exchanges in international economic and trade activities."
A noteworthy development is the extension of on-arrival visas for business travelers introduced in August to now include foreign nationals with urgent needs to visit China for family or personal matters. However, when applying for these visas, individuals must still present supporting documents, such as invitation letters. This expansion follows discussions at an annual economic work conference where leaders identified addressing travel-related challenges as a priority for 2024.
Despite China lifting strict border controls associated with its "zero-COVID" policy early last year, the expected revival of economic and inbound tourism has yet to materialize. Geopolitical and trade tensions with the West continue to rise, contributing to the ongoing challenges the Chinese economy faces.
The latest measures aim to address concerns raised by expatriates regarding lingering visa and entry difficulties, even after the removal of Covid-related restrictions. Mao Xu, head of the NIA's Department of Foreigners Management, stated that these new measures "basically cover the vast majority of foreign nationals with urgent needs to come to China."
Under the revised rules, foreign nationals transiting through nine airports across eight Chinese cities, with a layover of 24 hours or less, will no longer need to clear border control. However, they are still required to apply for a temporary entry permit if they wish to leave the restricted airport area. Additionally, foreigners on short-term visits for non-diplomatic and unofficial purposes can now apply for visa extension, replacement, and re-issuance at the nearest immigration office, expanding the convenience for travelers.
China's efforts to attract overseas visitors also include the removal of the requirement for hard copies of accommodation records and business licenses in visa applications, provided the materials are available online. Furthermore, expatriates can now use a declaration rather than a certificate of kinship when applying for short-term visas for family members overseas.
In a bid to make China more appealing to overseas investors and mitigate potential misunderstandings between societies, the country has taken additional steps. In November and December, China reduced visa fees by 25% until the end of the year and expanded its 72- and 144-hour visa-free transit policy to cover citizens of 54 countries.
Moreover, visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia no longer need a visa for stays of up to 15 days, a measure in place until November 30. Since the implementation of these changes, China has welcomed 147,000 inbound visa-free travelers from these six countries. Despite these efforts, the latest data from the NIA reveals that border control authorities processed 37% fewer entries in the last year compared to 2019.
While the NIA did not provide nationality breakdowns, data for the January-September period indicated that international travelers accounted for less than 9% of total border crossings. Observers expressed concerns that the slow return of overseas tourists may impact China's attractiveness to foreign investors, exacerbate misunderstandings between societies, and increase geopolitical risks.

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