BEIJING- The authorities in China have introduced a set of measures aimed at relaxing visa requirements for foreigners.
The National Immigration Administration has confirmed on Thursday that five key steps have been taken to streamline the visa application process and facilitating hassle-free entry into China.
According to China’s state broadcaster, these measures include permitting foreigners to apply for re-entry visas and making the overall visa application procedure simple.
Moreover, the authorities have also confirmed that individuals who urgently need to enter the country for work or other reasons will be able to apply for port visas or visas on arrival.
China has been introducing measures for making the arrival of passengers smooth to spur tourism ever since the country lifted social distancing protocols earlier last year.
To help tourism recover to pre-pandemic levels, China has granted visa-free entry to citizens of more countries and is actively engaged in international cooperation in this regard.
Beijing has also allowed travelers to apply for visa extensions or replacements at the nearest police station.
The country has also granted exemptions from border inspections for individuals transiting through Beijing and other international airports provided their transit period is within 24 hours.
Moreover, the country has also agreed to waive visa requirements on permanent basis from March for citizens from Thailand. In an earlier announcement, citizens from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia were allowed to travel to the country visa-free.
China faced the brunt of Covid for years and also faced accusations for not handling the virus properly, a claim which dent a huge blow to its tourism industry; however, the fresh measures are somewhat statistically proving that travelers are being attracted to the country in large numbers.
