China Offers 15 Days Visa-Free Entry To Australians

whyisave on 18/06/2024 - 09:58
Last edited 18/06/2024 - 10:00

Australian tourists will enjoy 15 days visa-free entry to China, while business people will be able to receive multiple entry visas, as the two leaders pledged to strengthen the free trade agreement.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-17/beijing-offers-visa-f…

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/leaders-hold-candid-tal…

In an attempt to encourage people-to-people links, Mr Li said Australia would be included in China’s visa waiver program. Details were unavailable, but it is understood to be similar to what Mr Li announced for New Zealanders, where tourists would be able to travel to China for up to 15 days without requiring a visa.

The leaders also announced the two countries would implement reciprocal access to multi-entry visas of up to three to five years for business, tourism and visiting family members.

Travel

Comments

  • theHMASfriendship on 18/06/2024 - 10:01
    +16

    Ok

      • theHMASfriendship on 19/06/2024 - 10:15
        +6

        Thank you for your comment

      • Waltervp on 20/06/2024 - 06:37
        +7

        I was in Europe a few years ago and was asked to stop in China for work Fur a week. Paris embassy told me to go to Australia to get it, in other words fxck off. When i asked to speak to someone they called security and said they only deal with French passports there and i needed to go to Australia. I had booked flights and hotels and even a week in Paris as that is what their website said. I went anyways and for a 48hr transit visa thinking I'll be able to extend it. That was impossible, despite going to immigration office in beijng. Glad things are changing!

        • drfuzzy on 22/06/2024 - 18:57

          Which Paris embassy? The Australian embassy in Paris?

        • juki on 23/06/2024 - 09:58
          +6

          the australian embassy in paris are the rudest laziest people ever, i lived there a couple of decades and I cant think of a single time they werent infuriating.

          • MrTweek on 24/06/2024 - 10:30
            -1

            @juki: It would have been the Chinese embassy

            • juki on 25/06/2024 - 22:30
              +1

              @MrTweek: i havent had the pleasure, but even red tape loving french or crazy germans were way more helpful than the aussies, so lets not just go by stereotypes.
              Kiwi embassy on the other hand super helpful, super polite and super friendly

          • nikey2k27 on 24/06/2024 - 21:17

            @juki: covid mate vista was come to end ask them get more skill help out in eup they told here go (profanity) home now.

            • juki on 25/06/2024 - 22:27

              @nikey2k27: I dont understand your sentence but i lived there a couple of decades, way before covid, and never once did they do anything to help (i dont even think they would say hello or good bye)

          • smoothymcmellow on 28/06/2024 - 09:57

            @juki: The french embassy here is just as bad. It's always a nightmare when my wife has to deal with them, they seem annoyed every time you ask anything despite it being their job

            • juki on 29/06/2024 - 13:38

              @smoothymcmellow: french red tape in general is a nightmare (but better in the last 5-6 years), the french consulate in melbourne isnt that bad, its just run with a lot of trainees and just one boss (who is a bit weird) and they only run certain things every blue moon (probably because of costs knowing the french).

              I'd still rate the aussie embassy in paris or berlin as the most unhelpful and rudest people ever (on one instance they didnt hesitate on leaving an 80+ man without help, which they later provided when a younger person arrived and insisted)

      • magikz on 20/06/2024 - 12:41
        +11

        It costs $109 for a single entry Visa, so decent saving per person and especially for a family

        • kl2999 on 21/06/2024 - 11:47
          +8

          Its not about the money, its about the time and effort to get that visa, online form fill up, print, get photo, attend visa centre, wait and collect visa.

          • Kegsta on 21/06/2024 - 19:15
            +4

            @kl2999: Yep. I'm from Tassie so to get my tourist I had to fly to Melbourne to apply in person. Cost over $500 and 2 days.

        • tryingtohelp on 24/06/2024 - 11:25
          +1

          Correction - Single entry is ~$90, double entry is ~$109

      • ninnypoop on 20/06/2024 - 17:47
        +1

        Why would customs not be aware?

        • Lucille Bluth on 21/06/2024 - 10:22
          +8

          Maybe they haven't seen the deal posted on ChinaBargain yet

      • CalmLemons on 20/06/2024 - 19:52
        +10

        Are you serious? It used to be, and still is an absolute nightmare to fill in a visa form and go down to the consulate to get it processed. Would cost a minimum of 3-4 hours of time for anybody involved.

        Going through chinese beaurocracy is insane especially the forms.

        • ashtrayc2c on 30/06/2024 - 19:06

          lets not forget their 20 cent per page photocopying

      • R-Man on 21/06/2024 - 14:17
        +4

        Yes the new deal is more convenient but thats about all.

        This was weird to read. Besides convenience, what would you expect a visa waiver agreement to offer?

    • drfuzzy on 22/06/2024 - 18:58

      R U OK?

  • jv on 18/06/2024 - 10:09

    😲

    Are we being Pandard?

    • whyisave on 18/06/2024 - 10:13
      +1

      Pandas belong to their own natural habitat.

      • 87percent on 18/06/2024 - 12:42
        +3

        If their natural habitat wasn’t being cleared

    • Hangryuman on 20/06/2024 - 16:38
      +3

      it's gonna be pandamonium

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 18/06/2024 - 10:25
    +26

    As a traveller, this is excellent news. Now to see the Terracotta warriors in real life. I highly recommend watching the Mystery of the Terracotta Warriors that was just released on Netflix. Wow!

    • whyisave on 18/06/2024 - 10:26

      As a traveller, this is excellent news.

      Agree.
      Though, I wonder how to get around the digital payments system there,
      ie.
      how to sign up to WeChat?
      or
      how to keep paying ca$h there?

      • redforever on 18/06/2024 - 11:21
        +4

        You can already install wechat and link your credit for e payment in china.

        • whyisave on 18/06/2024 - 11:52
          +3

          Australian Credit Card ?

          • redforever on 18/06/2024 - 12:29
            +6

            @whyisave: Yes. It was opened up more than 12months ago.
            I haven't used it myself but I can see the option in the app.

          • adinfinitum on 19/06/2024 - 10:41
            +5

            @whyisave: Yes, i have used by Citi Credit Card via AliPay. No issues at all.

            • whyisave on 19/06/2024 - 13:57

              @adinfinitum: Thanks for replying.

              This gives me confidence to get the install the payment apps on my phone then.

              I was reluctantly going out to Guangzhou, during my transit, but I actually asked the airport staff, whether I could use ca$h in the city.

              After spending the daytime there, I would say about 80% of retailers accepted cash, but 20% did not want to,
              and even the ones who accepted ca$h, did not want old notes or 'torn' new notes.

              • ATangk on 20/06/2024 - 18:26
                +2

                @whyisave: You can try to see if you can download Alipay, and then see if the 'tourpass' option still exists. This lets you pay via credit card directly for most things including the metro.

                Otherwise the only way is to know a friend who can transfer money to your alipay in RMB.

                • factor on 21/06/2024 - 12:23
                  +1

                  @ATangk: As of November 2023, I could pay using Alipay with my Australian credit card linked, so long as I was able to receive a daily SMS from my bank to reauthorise a transaction. This worked for merchants of most sizes, except for those who only accepted person-to-person money transfers (individuals not setup as a business).

                  At that time, Wechat pay did not work with my Australian credit cards even though the websites said it should.

                  It is government policy that foreigners be able to use these payment apps - the directive came out around the time of the olympics in Beijing but have really only reached implementation in the last year.

                  • ATangk on 21/06/2024 - 12:49
                    +2

                    @factor: I used tourpass in 2018 or 2017, but since have been able to open a chinese bank account so am free of all these struggles. However, it just means that everyone needing money just goes through me, its almost like a black market tbh.

                  • xmagic on 30/06/2024 - 15:04

                    @factor: Also since around 2021 both AliPay and WeChatPay began to transition sole-traders to business status as regulation tightens. IIRC static payment QR codes are now exclusive to merchants in addition to POS terminals (i.e. personal accounts can only receive money with dynamic codes), meaning you should be able to pay 98%+ of things with credit-card-backed accounts.

              • The Check Please on 23/06/2024 - 23:54
                +1

                @whyisave: It is against the law to deny cash payment by any merchants in China. Next time if this happens, just call the police and they'll budge. They just want to accept digital payments for convenience that's all.

                • Pumpkin_rrr on 24/06/2024 - 06:39

                  @The Check Please: What a waste os Police time! Police has better things to do than sort out your petty matter.

      • masterqur on 18/06/2024 - 23:53
        +4

        Wechat support VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express, Discover, JCB.
        Alipay support VISA, Mastercard, UnionPay, Discover, JCB.

    • dogboy on 20/06/2024 - 16:40
      +13

      I would not recommend going to see the Terracotta warriors in Xian. It was one of the most disappointing things I did when I travelled there. It is underwhelming and overrun by rude europeans and scammers everywhere. Xian is also not a very nice place.

      I would recommend going to Chengdu to see the Pandas and the city is amazing as well. It is very modern and clean and we didn't see one other westerners there. People want to take photos of you everywhere you go as they just don't get many tourists.

      Go to the wall as that is great. Pro trip is to get a guide that takes you to the wall away from the main tourist part. Had to hike up a mountain for an hour to access it but boy was it worth it. The tourist area of the wall is a lot more sterilised.

      Spend some time in Shanghai if you can as that is a pretty cool place with a lot of diversity. The reclining buddha at Leshan is also amazing but can be hard to get to from Shanghai (train then bus).

      I would avoid Beijing as it is horribly polluted although if you go there to access the Wall then check out the Forbidden City. Pretty cool.

      Another cool thing to do is check out one of the ghost cities. I went to the one based on Paris called Tianducheng which was a surreal experience but totally worth it. Also got to ride the bullet train there which was fun.

      I spent 6 weeks there and travelled around a fair bit. If you like beer, learn the Chinese word for 'cold' or risk getting handed a room temperature beer wherever you go. If you go out to clubs, you might want to learn the dice game they all play as it is fun and you don't need to hear people over the music to play it.

      • TightAl on 21/06/2024 - 08:56

        Not sure how you'd get scammed at the Terracotta warriors, must be a you thing really.

        • ATangk on 21/06/2024 - 12:50

          Probably bought a stool for 15rmb from those people who swarm you getting off the bus, just to find out they cost 10rmb from the people inside.

        • dogboy on 21/06/2024 - 18:29
          +2

          People trying to sell statues of the different warrior types approach you non-stop throughout and literally hound you to buy them. When you leave, there are gift shops that sell them for a fraction of the price. I didn't buy from the scammers but some of my friends did and regretted it.

          • TightAl on 21/06/2024 - 18:50
            +1

            @dogboy: Honestly didn't experience this at all, there are no one approaching you inside or outside apart from the tour guides outside, even that was short lived once you're queued up.
            No idea what you're on about.

            • dogboy on 24/06/2024 - 13:27

              @TightAl: This was in 2014 so not sure if things have changed since then and they have cracked down on it. Great if they have.

              • TightAl on 24/06/2024 - 14:01
                +1

                @dogboy: Lol wow. you probably should have started with that…

      • TheMindsetTraveller on 21/06/2024 - 09:00
        +2

        legend, thank you for sharing your insights!

      • Eeples on 21/06/2024 - 21:36
        +1

        Your experiences in no way resemble mine.

      • thebombout on 23/06/2024 - 22:51

        Went there via public bus from Xian avoiding tourist hours. Amazing experience. Costs next to nothing and almost no tourists (2018). Hope you have better luck next time.

      • SydneySwan on 24/06/2024 - 08:13

        I Went there in February 1989. It was very cold and I was the only visitor.

    • Eeples on 21/06/2024 - 21:33
      +1

      Yep the warriors are great to see in real life. Great modern complex. I didn’t see any scammers or ppl hassling others.

      While you are there I can recommend a visit to Mt Huashan.

      I can recommend travel by speed train.

      • dogboy on 24/06/2024 - 13:27

        Mt. Huashan looks awesome. Thanks for sharing.

  • scotty on 18/06/2024 - 10:44
    +5

    I was just talking to a friend 2 weeks ago, that with all these China Southern and China Eastern Airline deals, it would be nice to stop over at somewhere like Guangzhou, get out of the airport for a few hours, before transiting to the destination country.

    • BOGOF on 18/06/2024 - 10:49
      +6

      There has been a 144 hour visa free policy for Australians (& others) for a while now. So can leave the airport before transiting onwards.

    • whyisave on 18/06/2024 - 11:12
      +5

      be nice to stop over at somewhere like Guangzhou, get out of the airport for a few hours, before transiting to the destination country.

      I did this last year, when flying with China Southern Airlines.
      ( I had been to China many years ago, but wanted to test the transit Visa concept.
      Mind you, when I bought my flight ticket in May 2023, the official rule was still to disclose my PCR testing before boarding the airline, but no one wanted to enforce this when my flight was in July. Inside Guangzhou airport, it was a full bio-security zone and needed health declarations from everyone, including PCR test results )

      Basically, CN Government wants to see a confirmed A-B-C flight ticket, where "B" is transiting in China and the duration of the transit.
      So, if the transit is less than 1-day or 3-days or 7-days, they will issue you that specific Visa, provided the immigration staff can confirm your flight ticket is between A and C, on the same plane ticket booking.

      At the transit counter, you show them your AU passport and the flight ticket,
      the staff will flick through your passport pages and may query some past travel.

      Then, after entering some data into their computer, they put a "transit Visa" sticker on your passport, which was 24-hour Visa since my transit was 19 hours long.

      With this "transit Visa" sticker, I go to the immigration counter, where they take fingerprint data and facial picture.
      Within minutes you can exit immigration, collect luggage and go to the Arrivals hall.

      Sometimes China Southern also offer free hotel and/or city tours, as part of the flight ticket.
      ( In my case, I had a free hotel too. You report at the transit counter and they will arrange the shuttle to/from the hotel, which is only about 4-km away from the Guangzhou airport. )

      I spent 16 hours , wandering around Guangzhou.
      It's a nice, clean city and people were friendly.
      There's also the biggest African diaspora (!) in Guangzhou,
      so the locals were used to seeing foreigners.

    • AustriaBargain on 18/06/2024 - 15:12

      I'd like to do one of those managed tours, where they have actors doing traditional farming and such. Kind of like Disney Land but would feel more "real", sounds like a memorable experience anyway.

      • nomadspartan on 21/06/2024 - 10:46

        North Korea's no.1 in the world at managed tours.

        • AustriaBargain on 21/06/2024 - 11:04

          I actually would like to take a tour of North Korea. You can book them, last time I checked anyway. I'd probably rather spend more time seeing South Korea or other countries though if I were travelling.

          • whyisave on 21/06/2024 - 18:50

            @AustriaBargain: North Korea is only available via Koryo Tours (which is a front for their government).

            You can choose going in via train or plane, and have a variety of travel packages to choose from.
            There is a travel package, which includes their national day celebration or bicycling through the country-side.

            You will always have a local minder, who will be with you all the time, and you need verbal permission for any photography or talking to "locals".
            You might get to share evening meals or a cigarette with your minder.

            I looked into all of this, about 15 years ago.
            A friend of mine went there, about 10 years ago.

            Look for videos online, of video footage by people who smuggled the video out.
            I saw some good ones, about 15 years ago…of a guy who had his DSLR running, while he was getting a haircut and the lady hair-dresser figured out that camera was recording/running.

            I'd probably rather spend more time seeing South Korea or other countries though if I were travelling.

            In South Korea, you can go to the Demilitarized Zone [DMZ], which is the border with North Korea, just to have a look. Just don't run across the border, like the U.S. soldier who ran from South to North Korea, last year.
            https://www.npr.org/2023/09/27/1201977784/north-korea-to-exp…

    • dogboy on 20/06/2024 - 16:42
      -5

      Having a multi-visa entry is also pretty good as you can't go to China then Hong Kong and back as Hong Kong is not part of China .. but they say it is? Whatever..

  • Drakesy on 18/06/2024 - 12:44
    +7

    Can we buy property in their country as well yet?

    Lets be honest though, some cities in Australia are very similar to Shanghai/Beijing…

    • Maglia Nera on 18/06/2024 - 12:52
      -3

      username checks out

      • R4 on 20/06/2024 - 16:11
        +3

        True comment though

    • dtc on 18/06/2024 - 13:43
      -8

      Can we buy property in their country as well yet?

      yes, you can. It would take you about 3 seconds of research (or more if you are a 2 finger typist, not that I'm casting aspersions)

      Not sure which Australian cities are like Shanghai or Beijing. Certainly Shanghai has become generic modern asian city and isnt that interesting (although it has some great museums).

      • Drakesy on 18/06/2024 - 15:09
        +10

        The essential requirement is that you have studied or worked in China for at least one year on a residence permit. Foreigners are allowed to only own one residential property for dwelling purposes.

        It's not the same.

        oof

        • Ghost47 on 18/06/2024 - 18:02

          China is based af, after all they did also implement the One Child Policy to limit excessively fast population growth. Australia has nowhere near the same testicular integrity to pull off what China pulls off. Instead we attack them as if they're going to invade us and simplord to the UK and US by giving $360 billion dollars for 8 subs to protect our vast landmass lmao, one sub to protect each state and territory because subs move underwater real fast. All the while they provide us with cheap goods at Aldi that everyone loves to lap up. Make it make sense.

        • dtc on 18/06/2024 - 22:02
          -3

          Seen what the requirements are for chinese buyers in Australia? If its established property, must go through FIRB and if you arent a long term resident then FIRB wont grant permission. Higher stamp duty and higher land tax.

          its not that dissimilar. You just dont know the rules in Australia

          oof

          • Drakesy on 18/06/2024 - 23:45
            +8

            @dtc: …

            If its a new property we welcome them with open arms
            Don't even have to set foot let alone live in the country.
            He'll if you want to launder millions of dollars we'll let you do that as well.

            Oops

            • dtc on 19/06/2024 - 08:52

              @Drakesy: and the problem with building new properties is?

              • Drakesy on 19/06/2024 - 10:28
                +8

                @dtc: It's not that there's a problem with building new properties.
                it's
                1. the properties are more prone to staying vacant if bought by a wealthy international investor
                2. it's adding to the competition base, pushing up prices and the resultant ridiculousness that is the housing market today.
                3. It's allowing the developer to get away with providing the bare minimum in return for charging extortionate rates as it can be used as a hedge against the Chinese housing market.

          • Eeples on 21/06/2024 - 21:43
            -2

            @dtc: Please don’t attempt facts here.

            Just repeat: China bad.

      • BOGOF on 18/06/2024 - 15:28
        +2

        Technically you can only own the property on the land. The land itself is owned by the Chinese State, so the land is only leasehold.

        • dtc on 18/06/2024 - 22:02
          +2

          So like the ACT?

          • seug123 on 18/06/2024 - 22:06

            @dtc: Would like to see a compare and contrast on this

            • dtc on 19/06/2024 - 08:52
              +1

              @seug123: sure: its the same that you lease the land from the government

          • BOGOF on 19/06/2024 - 06:56

            @dtc: Yes

    • RTX9090Ti on 20/06/2024 - 11:10

      would you buy property there? I'd rather buy in Barbados.

    • dogboy on 20/06/2024 - 16:43
      +2

      "some cities in Australia are very similar to Shanghai/Beijing…"

      Umm .. not even close mate.

    • rumblytangara on 20/06/2024 - 20:51
      +4

      Lets be honest though, some cities in Australia are very similar to Shanghai/Beijing

      You've never been to Shanghai or Beijing, have you?

      • Drakesy on 20/06/2024 - 21:09

        Have actually

        • rumblytangara on 20/06/2024 - 22:13

          So loads of… poetic license, then.

        • May4th on 20/06/2024 - 22:17
          +6

          Not sure which parts of those cities you've been to but australian cities is nothing like those cities and I live in Sydney. Unless you just mean there's asians everwhere which I suspect you do

          • Blahness on 20/06/2024 - 23:48

            @May4th: Well, some areas/ streets of both central Sydney and Melbourne have high concentration of Asians and Chinese/asian restaurants and bubble tea shops. This makes them look more like an Asian city than what Australia looks like generally.

            • rumblytangara on 21/06/2024 - 07:10
              +1

              @Blahness: This is like saying that having a giant Decathlon sports store in Guangzhou makes the city like Paris.

  • Tiredman on 18/06/2024 - 13:14
    +2

    Nice. Love to visit.

  • capslock on 18/06/2024 - 13:51
    +7

    No thanks.

    • skidexa on 20/06/2024 - 16:30

      Yeah you better stay out or you might get kidnapped as soon as you step off the plane…or whatever else you might think happen…

      • ProlapsedHeinous on 22/06/2024 - 13:42
        -6

        I like my tourist destinations not full of genocide and human rights violations thanks. All the simps for Uncle Xi are welcome to take up this offer though.

        • May4th on 22/06/2024 - 13:47
          +3

          have fun staying home your whole life then you will be hard pressed to find any destination that hasnt had issues at some point in its history

    • drfuzzy on 22/06/2024 - 18:58

      Thanks Karen.

  • 7ekn00 on 18/06/2024 - 13:52
    +4

    Comes with a 50 year jail sentence for "being a spy" too ;) Bargain

    • nedski on 18/06/2024 - 14:04
      +8

      Yep thats a reason I wouldnt step foot in that country.

      • No ONE on 20/06/2024 - 13:06
        +9

        don't be a spy then!

        • nomadspartan on 21/06/2024 - 10:48
          +3

          Don't have to be a spy to be labelled a spy.

        • ProlapsedHeinous on 22/06/2024 - 13:47
          +2

          Ask the two Michaels that were literally held hostage while some Huawei High royalty was being detained. Absolutely disgusting government, Its about time Australia woke up to these assholes.

          • ashtrayc2c on 30/06/2024 - 21:57
            +1

            @ProlapsedHeinous: you mean these two michaels that was literally proven to be spies? lol

            "In November 2023, Spavor sought a multimillion-dollar settlement against the federal government for involving him in espionage activities without his knowledge. Michael Spavor reached a $7 million settlement deal with the Canadian government in March 2024."

            question is does one change their opinion when facts are presented?

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