Good news for all of our foreign friends looking forward to coming to China! Starting from today (Mar 15), China will provide facilitation for applicants who have been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines produced in China. Check the details!
In recent days, you have heard that China has simplified the visa policy for foreigners applying to enter the Chinese mainland via Hong Kong and Macao who have received China-produced COVID-19 vaccines.
So far, such facilitation measures have been expanded to more places. We found that the Chinese embassies in some countries and regions have issued a notice on new visa policy.
The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region issued a notice on Friday to exempt foreign visa applicants who have accepted Chinese vaccines from providing health certification.
The policy as follows will be effective from March 15, 2021.
Foreign nationals and their family members visiting the mainland of China for resuming work and production in various fields need only to provide the documents required before the COVID-19 pandemic when applying for a visa.
The Invitation Letter (PU), Invitation Letter (TE) or Invitation Verification Notice issued by the foreign affairs offices or the departments of commerce of the provincial (including autonomous regions and municipalities) governments or the headquarters of central state-owned enterprises are no longer required.
The scope of applicants eligible for applying for a visa out of emergency humanitarian needs will be expanded as appropriate.
Foreign family members of Chinese citizens or permanent residents of China, including spouse, parents, children and other close relatives living together (referring to siblings, grandparents and grandchildren), may submit visa applications for the purposes of reuniting with family, taking care of the elderly, visiting relatives, attending funerals or visiting critically ill relatives.
Holders of valid APEC business travel cards may apply for the M visa by presenting the original valid APEC business travel card and the invitation letter issued by the inviting party in the mainland of China.
It is noted that the visa facilitation applies only to applicants that:
Have been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines produced in China (either having received two doses of Chinese-made vaccines with the stipulated gap in between, or having received a single-dose Chinese-made vaccine at least 14 days prior to the application), and
Have obtained the vaccination certificate
A proof of a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test result and the Health and Travel Record Declaration Form for Visa Application are no longer required.
Other applicants should still follow the visa procedure as stated in the previous notice which was issued on Feb 9. You can check the following link to get the full content of it.
Starting from Monday, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Macao SAR will further adjust the visa policy to the mainland of China for foreigners in the Macao SAR.
Macao foreign residents (including permanent or non-permanent) can apply for all categories of visas to the mainland of China.
A proof of stay in the Macao SAR for at least 28 consecutive days before the date of application is necessarily required.
For all foreigners in the Macao SAR who meet the following conditions can apply for all categories of visas to the mainland:
Have inoculated with Chinese Vaccine Against COVID-19 (Completing 2 doses according to relevant regulated time or over 14 days after the completion of vaccination of single dose vaccine produced by China), and
Have obtained valid certificates of vaccination issued by Macao Health Bureau.
Applicants are required to log in to the China Online Visa Application and Appointment for Visa Application Submission system to fill out the electronic visa application form online and make an appointment with the date and time.
After completing the form online, the applicant signs on the printed confirmation page and page 8 of the printed Application form, then submits with the other required materials to the consular department of the office on the appointed date and time.
Those who are with urgent humanitarian needs are exempt from making appointments online, but are required to provide necessary supporting materials.
OTHER COUNTRIES & REGIONS
Chinese embassies in some countries and regions have also issued the Notice on Visa Facilitation for Applicants Inoculated with COVID-19 Vaccines Produced in China.
The above-mentioned notice is basically similar to the notice issued in HK. foreign nationals and their family members visiting the Chinese mainland to resume work and production need only to provide the documents required before the COVID-19 pandemic when applying for a visa.
△ The notice issued on the official web of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan
For now, we found that the Chinese embassies in the countries and regions including Kyrgyz, Israel, Pakistan, Thailand, Japan, Gabon, and Philippines have issued the notice. The facilitation is expected to be expanded to other places.
Please contact the Chinese embassies and consulates for more details.
We will keep following the updates on the latest Chinese visa policies. Stay tuned!
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SOURCE | Chinese Gov / Chinese embassies
