China will start issuing all visas from Wednesday, opening its borders to tourists after a gap of three years. The issuance of visas was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
China is one of the last major countries to open its borders to tourists. This announcement was made on Tuesday. Earlier in February, it had declared a “decisive victory” over Covid.
China will start issuing all types of visas from Wednesday. Visa-free entry to some destinations will also resume, including destinations such as Hainan Island, as well as cruise ships entering Shanghai. These areas did not require visas prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Note that holders of visas issued before March 28, 2020 and still valid will be allowed to enter China.
Visa-free entry will resume for foreigners entering Guangdong in southern China from Hong Kong and Macau. The announcement did not specify whether vaccination certificates or Covid negative reports would be required for visitors.
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China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters on Tuesday that China has taken “better measures to check people coming to China from relevant countries”. People coming to China will be provided with the facility of getting the Kovid-19 test done before boarding the plane. Significantly, China had implemented very strict rules to prevent the spread of the Kovid-19 epidemic.
