One of China's main tourist attractions, the Forbidden City in Beijing, looks set to enjoy a boom again. - Bloomberg
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): The Chinese embassy in Singapore will resume issuing all types of visas to foreigners from Wednesday (March 15), after nearly three years of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
This includes visas for tourism and medical treatment, according to a notice posted on the embassy’s website late on Monday (March 13).
Those with visas issued before March 28, 2020, that are still valid, will be allowed entry into China.
The updated policy will also allow for the resumption of visa-free travel to Hainan island, as well as tourists arriving in cruise ships to Shanghai.
Travellers from Hong Kong and Macau will be allowed visa-free entry to the southern manufacturing hub of Guangdong, while tourist groups within the Asean regional grouping can enter Guilin in Guangxi without a visa.
The move would “further facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel”, the notice added.
In March 2020, China suspended issuing visas to foreigners.
The 15-day, visa-free facility for Singaporeans travelling to China was also suspended, but it is not currently clear if it will resume. The Straits Times has contacted the Chinese embassy in Singapore for more information.
Chinese authorities ended the regime of mass testing, lockdowns and long quarantines in December 2022.
At the time, Beijing kept in place visa restrictions on foreigners, but said inbound travellers to the country would no longer need to quarantine from Jan 8.
Meanwhile, travel agencies in Singapore are gearing up for more travellers following the announcement.
A spokesman for CTC Travel said it has received a surge of enquiries for tours to China since the start of the year.
“We have been receiving overwhelming response on our tours,” she said.
“We are monitoring any further announcements on the details and will liaise with our counterparts to ensure timely updates.”
A WTS Travel spokesman said the agency is anticipating demand from customers who have been waiting for the lifting of travel restrictions.
“We do expect an increase in Singapore travellers signing up for our tours, and we will increase our offerings according to the loosening of restrictions,” he said.
