17 March 2023
Highlight
On March 14, 2023, the National Immigration Administration made further adjustments to the visa and entry policies for foreigners coming to China.
The Details
Starting from March 15, 2023, the following changes apply to the visa and entry policy for foreigners coming to China.
Chinese visas issued before March 28, 2020, and still valid, have been reactivated, allowing travellers to use their visas for visiting China;
Visa-free entry to Hainan Province, visa-free entry to Shanghai for cruise ships, visa-free entry to Guangdong Province for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong and Macau, and visa-free entry to Guilin city for ASEAN tour groups have been resumed.
Meanwhile, Chinese Embassies and Consulates overseas also followed and announced the same updates with more adjustments including,
Resuming the issuance of visas to foreigners (including tourist, medical etc.);
Resuming the review and issuance of all types of port visas by the China’s port visa authorities.
What this means
All the China’s visa restrictions have been lifted, except for visa-free policy for citizens of Singapore, Japan and Brunei which remain in suspension.
It is important to note that any visas issued before March 28, 2020 can only be used if the traveler’s purpose for visiting to China remains the same as shown on the visa. Also, if the traveler holds two valid Chinese visas (one issued before March 28, 2020 and one issued after), they must inform the Chinese Customs which visa they intend to use for entering into China. For example, if Mr. A has a 10-year China business (M) visa on his old US passport, and also a work (Z) visa on his new US passport, and he intends to enter China for a business meeting. In that case, he must bring both passports and show to the Chinese Customs that he is travelling for business purposes and would therefore like to use his business (M) visa for entering into China.
There is an upward trend in international travel, and visa appointment waiting periods in several countries have grown longer. It is recommended to consider seeking expert assistance if required. We must remain alert to the most current updates in border control measures and immigration regulations.
Also, it is advisable to examine the mobility policy, STBT policy, deployment model, compensation strategy, tax arrangement and remote work policies etc. and make appropriate revisions and enhancements.
Contact us
Please reach out to your usual Vialto Partners contact should you have any questions on the above. Or alternatively:
Jacky Chu
China Lead Partner
jacky.chu@vialto.cn
Dienn Hu
China Immigration Senior Manager
dienn.hu@vialto.cn
Shree Cang
China Immigration Partner
shree.cang@vialto.cn
Ray Xia
China Immigration Senior Manager
shree.cang@vialto.cn
www.vialtopartners.com
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