China’s laws for foreign nationals visiting or living in China will change from July 1. Visitors wishing to stay in the country for more than 180 days will now need a residence permit. Tourist visas will only be extended by a maximum of 30 days.
Brent Willie of Global Visas South Africa says it is important that travellers are aware of the new requirements and leave enough time in their schedules to secure a visa. He recommends thoroughly investigating what category of visa is needed.
Rules for F visas (the current category for business visits) could also possibly change, as the new requirements have not yet been finalised. The Visa Office of the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria said: “The new Law of the People’s Republic of China on Exit and Entry Control will take effect on July 1. Adjustments of the existing visa policy will be made accordingly. Further details will be posted once arrangements are finalised.”
Meanwhile, South African tour operators have raised concerns that the requirements for Chinese tourist visas have changed and are unclear.
Alet Steyn, business development manager of Wendy Wu Tours in South Africa, says a new requirement is that applicants have to submit an invitation letter from the company or operator hosting the traveller in China. This has to state the passenger’s name, surname, travel dates, cities the client intends to visit. In addition, a certified copy of the traveller’s passport and a three-month bank statement showing they have enough funds to sustain themselves while in China. “While the invitation letter from China is not a problem for Wendy Wu Tours to obtain from our operators in China, it seems they are not being consistent with the information that has to appear on the letter or what is needed for the visa, making it even more difficult for clients to apply for the visa,” Alet says.
Jeanine Tönnesen, gm of China Experience, agrees: “We have also found that China has changed its requirements for visas and we’ve noticed that not every consulate asks for the same information.”
In response to this, the Visa Office of the Chinese Embassy has issued a statement saying: “The Guide to Chinese Visa Application recently renewed on the website of the Embassy is not a policy change, rather it is to make clearer the visa application process and relevant requirements, with the aim to help applicants prepare their visa documents in a faster and more convenient way.
“China’s visa polices are not very strict compared with many other countries around the world. In the meantime, while abiding by the policies and regulations, we have been trying to provide better services to foreigners going to China.”
