How to come to China easily beginning from 2024

—Visa-free access to six countries

Recently, China announced the implementation of a unilateral visa-free policy for six countries. China and the United States have relaxed visa restrictions on each other.

I. Easing visa requirements for the United States

The Chinese Embassy in the United States issued a notice on its official website on December 29, 2023:

To further facilitate personnel exchanges between China and the United States, starting from January 1, 2024, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the United States will waive the requirement for L-type (tourist) visa application materials: Persons in the United States who are traveling to China and applying for a visa to China will be exempted from providing round-trip documents. Application materials such as air tickets, hotel orders, itineraries, or invitation letters.

Since each case is different, please refer to the requirements of the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in the United States for details.

This means that people in the United States who plan to travel to China will no longer need to provide relevant application materials such as round-trip air tickets, hotel orders, detailed itineraries or invitation letters when applying for a visa to China. Since the specific circumstances of each application case may be different, applicants still need to follow the specific requirements and guidance of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the United States to apply.

II. Visa-free access to six countries

At the end of December 2023, China ushered in an important expansion of unilateral visa-free countries.

Starting from December 1, 2023, China will trial a unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from six countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.

As a result, the number of countries where China has tried unilateral visa exemption has increased from the original 2 (Brunei and Singapore) to 8, and the countries covered have expanded from Asia to Europe.

From December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024, ordinary passport holders from the above eight countries who come to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days can enter China without a visa, thus greatly saving time and costs.

Malaysia has responded equally to China’s visa-free policy. Starting from December 1, 2023, it will implement convenient visa-free measures for Chinese citizens within 30 days of entry.

III. China and Thailand will permanently be visa-free for each other starting from March

On January 2, local time, Thai Prime Minister Settar Tasin revealed to the media after attending a cabinet meeting that Thailand’s visa-free entry policy for Chinese tourists is valid until February 29, 2024, and is about to expire. After continuous communication and consultation with China, we have received good news. China and Thailand will implement a permanent mutual visa-free entry policy from March 1, which means that traveling to and from the two countries does not require a visa from the other country.

At the regular press conference of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held on Jan.2, 2024, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that further strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Thailand and mutual visa exemption are in the fundamental interests of the two peoples. At present, the competent authorities of both sides are in close communication on specific matters, and we look forward to the relevant arrangements coming into effect as soon as possible.