Australians will no longer need a visa to travel to China
Under the new arrangement, stays of up to 15 days will be visa-free.
By David Flynn, June 27 2024
Australians will no longer need a visa to travel to China, provided their stay is less than 15 days, while multiple-entry visas of up to five years for tourism and business will also be made available.
Both measures are part of a reciprocal agreement struck between the Australian and Chinese governments during the recent visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang for meetings with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
In addition to removing the need to make an in-person visit to an authorised Chinese visa office in Australia at least two weeks before you travel, the introduction of the visa waiver will also save around $100 per person (the current cost for a single-entry tourist visa).
The visa-free scheme for short trips to China will reportedly come into effect on 1 July 2024, according to China's Foreign Ministry, and will be available for tourism business, visiting relatives and friends, and short transit stays.
Five-year multiple-entry visas are expected to come into effect in the next few months, after departments of the Australian and Chinese governments finalise details.
The news has already been welcomed by tour operators, including China travel pioneer Wendy Wu, who says the visa-free policy “will make short trips more accessible and straightforward, and we’re positive it will encourage a robust return to destination China for Aussie holidaymakers.”
The corporate travel arm of Flight Centre says business travel between China and Australia has already increased by 68% in the current quarter to date, compared to the second quarter of the 2023 calendar year.
Most Australian business travellers are arriving into Shanghai, with travellers departing from Melbourne in the greatest numbers, followed by Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
Direct flights from Australia to China take wing on Air China, Beijing Capital Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Tianjin Airlines and Xiamen Air.
Additional reporting by Chris Ashton.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2017
Total posts 59
The APEC Business Travel Card is still the best way to enter China on business. 60 days visa free for each entry.
15 Dec 2021
Total posts 3
Shame that Qantas didn't wait a month before making a call on stopping their Shanghai flights. Maybe they can u-turn their decision and continue the Sydney-Shanghai route after this news?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Oct 2018
Total posts 6
I too wonder if Qantas still would have cancelled Sydney-Shanghai and replaced it with Brisbane-Manila prior to this announcement. Nonetheless:
1. There is intense competition amongst airlines between Australia and China generally, with so many having cheaper airfares.
2. I'm not 100% sure visas or the lack of would be the sole factor in deciding whether or not people go to China. India needs Visas for Australians but that hasn't stopped QF introducing non-stop flights to India which it didn't do pre-pandemic and loads are strong on both the MEL-DEL and SYD-BLR flights. Granted, you can apply for some Indian visas online, although you still have to pay.
3. Maybe Qantas wouldn't have cancelled Sydney to Shanghai at all if it had more aircraft, but saw better opportunities with the aircraft it had.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2017
Total posts 59
I would suggest (could be wrong) that the majority of travellers on Australia China routes are Chinese. These passengers favour Chinese carriers so Qantas would not have been such a popular choice. When I travel to China, I don’t go direct, generally via Hong Kong so just guessing on my previous statement but never see planes full of Australians in and out of Shanghai.
13 May 2020
Total posts 20
When I travel to China, I don’t go direct, generally via Hong Kong
Although it is a SAR, Hong Kong is part of China? Unlike Taiwan
04 Sep 2019
Total posts 55
Yes it is. But Hong Kong is a far nicer airport to fly into
Etihad - Etihad Guest
21 Jul 2019
Total posts 169
@APACPete you're not wrong about the majority of pax being Chinese (mostly tourists). Conversely, Australian tourists are just not visiting China in droves to justify a comprehensive service by Qantas. It's still a niche market despite its size and offerings (both of which are huge). Maybe that will change in future, but today Indonesia (Bali), the U.S., the U.K. and New Zealand all soak up the majority of our outbound tourists.
24 Apr 2017
Total posts 81
15 days is really too short for most group tours, obviously dictated by US holidays, where they are lucky to get 2 weeks a year. 30 days would have been perfect for Australia where 4 weeks leave is common, and many of our tours are 3-4 weeks long. So either tour operators are going to make a lot of short tours up, or there is really no change as visas will still be required.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1527
It is indeed a positive news, but how strange to read "re-establishing ties between the nations" when we as a country have enough stupidity to step into AUKUS that aimed squarely against China!
03 Mar 2023
Total posts 18
For good reason Serg...
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1527
And may I ask what is the "good reason"?
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