As of this week, China is offering visa-free entry to nationals from Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg.
On March 7, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi announced that the country would expand its 15-day visa-free entry policy to those six additional European countries on a trial basis starting on March 14.
“We hope more countries will also offer Chinese citizens visa facilitation and work with us to build fast-track networks for cross-border travels and encourage speedy resumption of international passenger flights,” Wang told a press conference.
This would make it more convenient for Chinese citizens to travel abroad, and make foreign friends feel at home in China, he said.
Between March 14 and November 30 2024 ordinary passport holders from the mentioned countries can enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit.
This move aligns with China’s commitment to facilitating procedures for foreigners to visit China for work, study and travel, as stated in the 2024 Government Work Report.
In the past, citizens with a valid ordinary passport from Japan, Brunei, and Singapore have been permitted to travel to China for a period of up to 15 days without applying for a visa for tourism, business, visiting relatives and friends, or transiting to a third country. This was suspended when Covid-19 restrictions were strictly implemented in China.
Last July, the 15-day visa-free travel to China policy was resumed for citizens of Brunei and Singapore, with Singapore's having been extended to 30-day visa-free travel since February 2024.
Late last year, the 15-day visa-free travel policy was also expanded to France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia.
South Africans, however, still need a visa to enter China, which must be applied for through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centres in Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town. Applications can be made without appointments during working hours. Find more details about the centres and their contact details here.
China expands visa-free entry to travellers from these six countries
Government says the goal is to make it more convenient for Chinese citizens to travel abroad, and to make foreign friends feel at home in China
Image: Tingshu Wang / Reuters
As of this week, China is offering visa-free entry to nationals from Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg.
On March 7, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi announced that the country would expand its 15-day visa-free entry policy to those six additional European countries on a trial basis starting on March 14.
“We hope more countries will also offer Chinese citizens visa facilitation and work with us to build fast-track networks for cross-border travels and encourage speedy resumption of international passenger flights,” Wang told a press conference.
This would make it more convenient for Chinese citizens to travel abroad, and make foreign friends feel at home in China, he said.
Between March 14 and November 30 2024 ordinary passport holders from the mentioned countries can enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit.
This move aligns with China’s commitment to facilitating procedures for foreigners to visit China for work, study and travel, as stated in the 2024 Government Work Report.
In the past, citizens with a valid ordinary passport from Japan, Brunei, and Singapore have been permitted to travel to China for a period of up to 15 days without applying for a visa for tourism, business, visiting relatives and friends, or transiting to a third country. This was suspended when Covid-19 restrictions were strictly implemented in China.
Last July, the 15-day visa-free travel to China policy was resumed for citizens of Brunei and Singapore, with Singapore's having been extended to 30-day visa-free travel since February 2024.
Late last year, the 15-day visa-free travel policy was also expanded to France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia.
South Africans, however, still need a visa to enter China, which must be applied for through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centres in Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town. Applications can be made without appointments during working hours. Find more details about the centres and their contact details here.
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