China Announces Simplification of Visa Application Process
A Chinese visa represents proof of valid entry into China (left) and red stamps record each entrance in and exit out of the country (right) | Source: flickr
Following more than three years of strict travel regulations, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced a simplification of the visa application process for foreign visitors on September 20. The Chinese government expressed a desire to prioritize post-pandemic economic development and recovery of the travel and tourism sector. Since 2019, the total revenue generated from the travel and tourism industry—an essential aspect of the Chinese economy—has dropped from 6.6 trillion yuan—or more than 904 billion dollars—to just 70% of that amount.
This development marks a breakthrough in the Chinese border reopening process, which has gradually reduced reliance on the country’s zero-COVID policy since late 2022.
The zero-COVID policy included strict quarantine of close contacts and contact tracing through a smartphone app. These actions were accompanied by alterations to death certificates in order to overstate the severity of the virus as a cause of death. At the twentieth National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in October 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping acknowledged the policy as one of many “prime achievements” of the last five years.
CCP plans for future pandemic response remained ambiguous at the Congress. Yet, on November 11, the CCP softened its rhetoric, enacting preliminary measures intended to ease zero-COVID restrictions. Despite this change, the Chinese National Health Commission cautioned that the CCP “will not waver from the dynamic zero-Covid” policy, as the new changes were aimed to “enhance anti-pandemic measures.
The Chinese Embassy in the United States further announced on March 13, 2023 that China would resume issuing visas for foreigners on March 15.
More than six months later, the MFA affirmed a defining effort to optimize the visa application process for international travelers, clarifying its wavering policies of the previous months. Revisions to the “drawn-out visa process” will “greatly shorten the time and ease the application process,” MFA spokeswoman Mao Ning explained. Applicants are now only required to provide their travel history of the past year—instead of the past five years—and list their highest level of academic attainment, rather than their comprehensive educational background.
Reduction of paperwork and faster visa processing particularly benefits business travelers planning trips to China. The new requirements are “poised to benefit China’s business and commerce development,” as well as negotiation opportunities with international companies.
The path to recovery for China’s travel and tourism industry is a long one. Though domestic tourism has surpassed pre-COVID levels, revitalizing international travel remains a prominent challenge. Locals such as Jay Li, a tour guide in Beijing, estimated from his own experience that the number of foreign tourists is “probably only about 20 percent” of pre-pandemic rates. While the streamlining of the visa process provides hope for increasing international tourism, Chief Executive Officer of the World Travel & Tourism Council, Julia Simpson, claims that “Chinese cross-border travel will likely take until the end of 2024 to fully return to pre-pandemic levels.”
Still, the policy changes reflect a broader shift in the CCP’s attitude towards the pandemic—one that prioritizes cross-cultural interaction. “The foreign ministry will continue to facilitate people-to-people exchange between China and other countries and serve high-quality development and high-level opening up,” Mao declared. As the world returns to normalcy following the pandemic, China is eager to welcome foreign visitors of various geographic and cultural backgrounds.