Singaporeans will be able to visit China Up to 30 days without visa From February 9, 2024, as part of a mutual agreement between the two countries.
Back in July 2023, China reinstated its long-standing 15-day visa-free travel exemption for Singaporeans. It was a benefit that had been suspended in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which resulted in near-universal border restrictions, but was perhaps the strictest. And it will last a long time in China itself.
This relaxation, which returns travel to Singapore and China to pre-pandemic standards, is the long-awaited culmination of China’s border easing from early 2023 to mid-2023, which will phase out quarantine and testing requirements and introduce tourist visas. is now being published again.
30-day visa-free reciprocal travel between Singapore and China
The governments of Singapore and China have announced that they have reached an agreement to allow citizens of both countries with regular passports to travel for up to a maximum of 24 hours. 30 days All at once, no visa required.
This will take effect From February 9, 2024just in time for the Lunar New Year holiday.
The 30-day visa waiver is for travel for the following purposes:
- work
- Tourism/sightseeing
- Visiting friends and family, or other personal matters
this will double Singapore citizens now have 30 days of visa-free travel, increasing from 15 days to 30 days, adding significant flexibility, but perhaps the biggest beneficiaries are Chinese nationals, who are now unable to travel to Singapore for any purpose. However, a visa is required.
Last year, when easing was first discussed, China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said it would no longer be the case from February 9, 2024. “Make people’s interactions more convenient”.
The news comes after Malaysian citizens were recently granted 15 days of visa-free travel to China, effective from December 1, 2023. This relaxation is being implemented on a trial basis for one year until November 30, 2024.
Thai passport holders will also be eligible for permanent 30-day visa-free travel to China from March 1, 2024.
Singapore residents with other nationalities will still need to apply for a visa to visit China, except for travel to Hainan Island. In Hainan, 59 nationalities can travel visa-free for up to 30 days, after which they are allowed to travel from Hainan to mainland China for 30 days. Non-Singaporeans cannot enter without the relevant visa.
Singapore – China flights
Air services between Singapore and China are still increasing towards pre-coronavirus levels, but with this news of bilateral visa relaxation, it is hoped that services will gradually increase this year.
As of February 2024, 15 airlines operating 425 flights per week From Singapore to China (excluding flights to Hong Kong and Macau Special Region).
If you are planning a trip to China, your list should look like this:
Air China (42 flights per week)
- Beijing Capital (21 times a week)
- Chengdu (7 weeks)
- Chongqing (7 times a week)
- Shanghai (7 weeks)
Cambodia Airlines (twice a week)
China Eastern Airlines (64/week)
- Beijing Daxing (3 times a week)
- Hangzhou (4 weeks)
- Hefei (5 times a week)
- Kunming (7 weeks)
- Nanjing (7 times a week)
- Shanghai (35/week)
- Changsha via Yantai (3 times a week)
China Southern Airlines (35 times a week)
- Guangzhou (28/week)
- Shenzhen (7 times a week)
Chongqing Airlines (7 flights per week)
Hainan Airlines (3 times a week)
Hebei Airlines (once a week)
Jetstar Asia (9 weeks)
- Haikou (5 times a week)
- Wuxi (4 times a week)
Juneyao Airlines (21 flights a week)
Scoot (95/week)
- Changsha (4 times a week)
- Fuzhou (4 weeks)
- Guangzhou (14/week)
- Haikou (4 weeks)
- Hangzhou (6 times a week)
- Jinan (3 times a week)
- Kunming (4 times a week)
- Nanchang (3 times a week)
- Nanjing (10/week)
- Nanning (3 times a week)
- Ningbo (3 times a week)
- Qingdao (6 times a week)
- Shenyang (6 times a week)
- Tianjin (7 weeks)
- Wuhan (7 weeks)
- Xi’an (7 weeks)
- Zhengzhou (4 times a week)
Shenzhen Airlines (14 flights per week)
Sichuan Airlines (14 flights per week)
Singapore Airlines (69/week)
- Beijing (14 times a week)
- Chengdu (3 times a week)
- Chongqing (3 times a week)
- Guangzhou (14/week)
- Shanghai (28 days a week)
- Shenzhen (7 times a week)
Spring Airlines (7 times a week)
Xiamen Airlines (42/week)
- Fuzhou (7 weeks)
- Hangzhou (7 weeks)
- Xiamen (28 days a week)
Singapore Airlines recently offered discounted redemption fares on flights to China in its monthly Spontaneous Escapes promotion.
On February 15, 2024, we will offer two months of discounts for travel in both March and April 2024. Also expected is a bumper offer with higher-than-usual discounts to celebrate his 25th anniversary with KrisFlyer.
We’re usually the first to post all the details, so keep an eye out.
From February 9, 2024, Singaporeans will be able to travel to China for leisure or business purposes without a visa for up to 30 days at a time, double the current limit.
Perhaps the more generous aspect of the deal is that Chinese nationals will also be able to visit Singapore visa-free for up to 30 days, a significant improvement since visas are currently required for travel of any length.
China is definitely opening up after the coronavirus is contained, with visa relaxations being implemented for Malaysians and soon for Thai nationals as well.
Travel options between Singapore and China are back in a big way, with 425 flights per week and no doubt more will follow in the coming months.
(Cover photo: Shutterstock)