With COVID-19 disrupting travel for over two years, I bet you didn’t even remember that Singaporeans used to be able to travel to China for 15 days without a visa.
Now that we’ve forgotten how TraceTogether looks like instead, this visa-free arrangement is back, just in time for something.
Here’s what you need to know.
China Resuming 15-Day Visa-Free Travel for Singaporeans from 26 July 2023
If you’ve been kiasu about travelling to China without the hassle of a visa, here’s some good news to make your day.
From the stroke of midnight from Wednesday (26 July 2023), Singaporeans can once again pack their bags and head to China without a visa for up to 15 days.
The Chinese Embassy in Singapore announced on a not-so-lazy Sunday morning that this visa-free privilege isn’t just for those looking to feast on dim sum or climb the Great Wall. Whether you’re on a business trip, visiting your long-lost relatives, or simply transiting, you’re covered. And if you’ve already got a visa? No worries, it’s still valid.
China stopped issuing visas for foreigners in March 2020, right when COVID-19 became serious worldwide.
Back then, they also put the brakes on our 15-day visa-free entry.
Lest you’ve forgotten, it was only in December 2022 that China decided to ditch their mass testing and lockdowns. They still played hardball with visa restrictions but threw in a bonus – no more quarantine for incoming travellers from January.
And in May, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, during his debut China trip as DPM, hinted that he was hoping for some visa-free magic.
The magic will manifest this Wednesday.
And here’s the cherry on top: Travellers can now roam around China without worrying about cash. Tencent’s WeChat Pay, one of the big boys in mobile payments, just gave the green light for foreign credit cards.
Alibaba’s Alipay, not wanting to miss out on the fun, did the same.
Why, you ask? They’re prepping for a massive wave of visitors for the Chengdu World University Games in July and the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
With this, you can say that the COVID-19 pandemic is finally over.
Wait, what’s COVID-19 again?