After strict restrictions imposed for three years that led to the closure of the country to the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic, China will resume from tomorrow, Wednesday, March 15, 2013, issuing "all types of entry visas" including tourist visas.

China was the first country where the virus, which was unknown at the time, spread, and it suddenly closed its borders to the world in March 2020 fearing the spread of a new wave of infections coming from abroad.

At the peak of the pandemic, many foreign residents found themselves unable to enter the country after leaving China, as Chinese authorities significantly reduced the number of international flights. However, these measures were gradually eased with the resumption of the issuance of entry visas for business or family reunification, but movement between China and abroad remained very limited for about three years due to the imposition of mandatory quarantine upon arrival to Chinese territory for all arrivals.

China also suddenly lifted most of the measures it imposed during three years last December, which were among the strictest in the world and severely affected its economy and sparked protests across the country, as it abandoned mandatory quarantine for incoming travelers from abroad, which was one of the main measures under the government's "Zero Covid" strategy.

The suspension of tourist entry visas since 2020 was the last measure still in effect under this strict health policy.

Starting from tomorrow, Wednesday, China will again begin issuing "all types of entry visas" to foreign nationals according to a memo published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chinese embassies in the United States and France also published a similar memo electronically.

Also, in addition to new applications that will be reviewed and approved, visas issued before March 28, 2020, which are still valid, will allow their holders to enter China, as stated in the memo.