2023 Chinese Visa Application Guidelines

China began easing immigration procedures on January 8, 2023, after the downgrading of COVID-19 to a Class B infectious disease and the removal of centralized quarantine for inbound travelers.

Beijing has promised to gradually resume the issuance of ordinary visas and residence permits for foreigners, as well as tourist visa exemption for short-term travelers.

The lifting of quarantine regulations means that China's mainland residents can travel abroad for the first time since national borders were closed almost three years ago. 

China also announced the restart of pilot outbound tours to selected countries. Yet, it should be noted that visa resumption is a process.

As per announcements posted by some Chinese embassies, China has resumed visa applications for most types. Meanwhile, visa applications for tourism and medical treatment to China are currently still on hold. 

Foreigners who need to apply for China visas should confirm with their local Chinese embassies or consulates to find out if the visa they want to apply for is currently available or not.  

In this article, we provide the latest Chinese visa application guidelines and highlight the characteristics of each type of visa and the supporting documentation required.

What type of Chinese visa can be applied for in 2023?

As per the announcement from most Chinese embassies, the following types of visas are available for application:

Additional information and documentation may be needed, depending on the applicant’s place of origin, where the application is being submitted, and where the applicant plans to travel.

When dealing with visa-related processes, prospective travelers to China can contact their local Chinese embassy or consulate and seek specific guidance, as regulations may vary case-by-case.

Who does not need a visa to China?

The following categories of foreigners can enter China without a visa:

All travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, have to complete one PCR test within 48 hours before departure and to only board an aircraft if their nucleic acid result is negative.

The application for the health code is no longer necessary.

One PCR test may be taken in either the city of departure or the airport/city of your transfer if you are traveling to China via a third country.

China's steps toward opening up in 2023

As illustrated above, the Announcement of the Optimized Policies and Measures for Immigration Administration after the Downgrade of COVID-19 Management with Measures Against Class B Infectious Diseases (Announcement), issued on December 27, 2022, by China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA), introduced several facilitations regarding visa applications for foreigners. This is a sign that China is slowly opening back up.

In the words of Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the 2023 World Economic Forum, China is on a clear path to “open up wider, and make it work better.”

In view of the recent positive policy transitions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2023 China growth outlook sharply to 5.2 percent (from 4.4 percent in its October 2022 forecast), citing the reopening of the country’s economy after Beijing lifted its tight COVID-19 restrictions.

Tourism will be among the industries to benefit the most from this new approach in 2023. China’s outbound tourism showed an impressive recovery during the 2023 Spring Festival period, with outbound tours booking and hotel occupancy reaching a three-year high.

In addition, while foreigners who hold 5-year or 10-year tourist visas are still unable to enter China as of January 2023, this type of visa may soon be valid again as proof of Beijing’s efforts to open to the world.

How we can help

As a professional business services provider, Dezan Shira & Associates can provide you with the necessary support to understand the most updated policies and status in a timely manner. Should you have any requests, please contact us without hesitation. You are welcome to email us at China@dezshira.com.