Chinese officials announced that embassies and consulates abroad will implement a temporary reduction of visa fees from Dec. 11, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2024.

Key Points:

• The policy will make it more affordable for travelers from more than a dozen countries to obtain a visa to travel to China.
• Chinese embassies and consulates-general in the United States will reduce the visa fee to $140 (from $185) for the following visas:
  
  • Single entry
  • Double entry
  • Multiple entry for six months
  • Multiple entry for 12 months or more
• Countries including Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam will have certain visa fees cut 25%. Other countries will see visa fee reductions of up to 75%, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

BAL Analysis: The Chinese government has introduced various measures recently to increase inbound travel from foreign tourists and drive business in its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.