The Chinese embassy in Washington notified on Friday that China will simplify visa applications for US tourists beginning January 1, 2024.
The initiative is China’s latest attempt to stimulate tourism and the world’s second-largest economy following a dip caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to the embassy’s notice, tourist visa applicants in the United States will no longer be required to submit air ticket reservations, hotel reservations, or an invitation letter.
Beijing had previously announced that passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia will be able to enter the country without visas beginning December 1, 2024.
The visa-free regime will last 12 months, during which time tourists from those six nations will be able to enter China for up to 15 days.
In November, China also expanded its visa-free transit program to 54 nations.
Due to the country’s strict COVID-19 control procedures, the number of inbound tourists to the country dropped during the epidemic.
International flights to China have increased after Beijing lifted COVID restrictions a year ago, but they are still just 60 percent of what were in 2019.
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