Travel Gossip: China Simplifies Visa Application for Americans

By Billy Jiang, January 4, 2024

In a bid to enhance people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America has announced a significant simplification of the Tourist Visa (L-Visa) application process, effective from January 1, 2024.

Under the new guidelines, tourist visa applicants within the United States will no longer be required to submit certain supporting documents that were previously mandatory.

The elimination of documents:

Round-trip air ticket booking record
Proof of hotel reservation, itinerary, or invitation

However, it's important to note that visa applications will still be processed on a case-by-case basis, and specific requirements may vary.

For detailed information, applicants are advised to refer to the official statements of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the United States.

This move follows China's recent efforts to open its doors to international visitors.

As of December 1, 2023, China granted visa-free access to passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.

The visa-free treatment allows tourists from these countries to visit China for up to 15 days within a 12-month period.

In addition to simplifying the tourist visa process, China expanded its visa-free transit policy to 54 countries in November, further signaling its commitment to fostering international travel.

Despite the easing of travel restrictions, the number of inbound tourists to China faced a significant decline during the pandemic, largely due to the country's stringent COVID control policies.

While international flights to China have increased since the relaxation of these measures a year ago, they are currently reported to be at only 60% of 2019 levels, according to Chinese Newsroom reports.

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[Cover image by Billy Jiang/That's]