As the flight from the Netherlands smoothly touched down at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport in east China's Fujian Province on Thursday, several foreign passengers on board became the first group to benefit from China's new visa-free policy.
China has extended its visa-free policy to six more countries, including Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg, effective from March 14, 2024, to November 30, 2024. Citizens with ordinary passports from these European nations can now stay in China for business, sightseeing, visiting family and friends, and transit for up to 15 days without needing a visa.
Upon transferring from the Netherlands, travelers from countries such as Switzerland and Ireland only needed to present their passports and arrival cards at the immigration inspection hall. Their visas wereๆ ้ๅฎกๆน, allowing them to clear customs within three minutes after passing through border control smoothly.
Robert, a Dutch passenger on the flight, shared his experience, saying, \"I frequently visit Xiamen for business purposes. Compared to the previous requirement to obtain a visa in advance, I was able to save about two weeks of waiting time this time, which I found extremely convenient.\"
This expansion follows the China-Thailand reciprocal visa-free agreement that went into effect on March 1, further broadening China's visa-free countries and enhancing global travel links.
Reference(s):
Unlocking travel: China's visa-free move strengthens global links
cgtn.com
