CHINA: Visa-free travel for Australians available soon

With Li Quiang, the Chinese Premier, visiting Australia this week, comes the announcement that Australia will soon be included in the visa-free waiver program for visits to China.

Australian citizens will join New Zealand and other nations in the 15-day visa-free entry program for tourists visiting China.

“We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members so as to better facilitate personal exchanges. China will also include Australia in its visa waiver program.”

His Excellency Li Quiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China

Longer visits would still require a Chinese visa arranged in person at Chinese visa offices in Australia, a minimum of two weeks prior to travel. Fees start at roughly AU$95 per person.

If you want to stay more than 15 days, then its probably still a Category L tourist visa for you, valid for a year, permitting a stay of up to 30 days on each entry. For Business, its a Category M visa, which has much the same conditions, but is limited to a 90 day total after issue.

Multi-year, multi-entry visas are also on the horizon, with an in-principle agreement reached back in November last year between the Australian and Chinese governments.

“We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members – so as to better facilitate personal exchanges, China will also include Australia in its Visa Waiver Program,”

His Excellency Li Quiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China

Beijing Capital Airlines starts flights Melbourne/Hangzhou

Melbourne is pulling ahead with this new connection to Hangzhou, the tea capital of China with this three times per week direct service. At 11 hours, its the quickest way to get from Australia to Hangzhou on an Airbus A330 with lie-flat seats in Business Class, in a 2-2-2 layout.

• JD386 departs Melbourne 7:00 am arriving Hangzhou at 3:45 pm same day (Mon, Thur, and Sat) ~10hr 45m
• JD385 departs Hangzhou 3:50 pm arriving Melbourne at 5:00am + 1 day (Wed, Fri and Sun) ~ 11h 10m

Hangzhou with a population of around 11 million is south of both Beijing and Shanghai. You can reach it from Shanghai via the very fast train in about an hour.

Beijing Capital Airlines also run a direct service to Quingdao, which is about the halfway point between Beijing and Shanghai

2PAXfly Takeout

Melbourne, with its 24-hour airport certainly is getting a march on Sydney. You can currently fly non-stop direct to 8 different Chinese destinations from Melbourne.

The 15-day visa-free entrance should help boost Australian tourism to China, which is sitting well below its pre-COVID-19 figures. It’s unfortunate that there is no implementation timetable as yet.

Still, there will still be Pandas at Adelaide Zoo thanks to Chinese Premier Li Quiang’s commitment on his recent visit.