China to restart broad visa approvals, halted over pandemic

China will resume issuing a range of visas to foreigners beginning March 15, the country’s embassy in Washington said Monday, lifting sweeping restrictions in force since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

In addition to new travel documents being reviewed and approved, visas issued before March 28, 2020 that are still valid will once again allow entry to China, said the embassy notice, translated by AFP from Chinese.

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The updated policy will also allow for the resumption of visa-free travel for those arriving in cruise ships to Shanghai, as well as for certain tourist groups from Hong Kong, Macau and countries within the ASEAN regional grouping, the notice said.

While most other countries began reopening to international travel earlier, China only began emerging from its zero-Covid policies in late 2022, after protests broke out against the hardline restrictions.