China announces visa-free travel for Australians visiting up to 30 days (previously 15 days)

[moa999]

That's it, that's all that's required.

Mind you.. that's at a spot where many nationalities, including Australia used to be able to get a 24-hr visit permit very easily.

 

[markis10]

Mind you.. that's at a spot where many nationalities, including Australia used to be able to get a 24-hr visit permit very easily.

Was a 5 day visa on arrival for lots of shopping

 

[SYD]

Any recent experiences arriving by air at PEK? Is it eGates or front up to a counter?

 

[elanshin]

Any recent experiences arriving by air at PEK? Is it eGates or front up to a counter?

Not at PEK, but CAN and PVG needs you to still go to a manned desk. AFAIK only Chinese passport holders can use egates for now.

 

[SYD]

Not at PEK, but CAN and PVG needs you to still go to a manned desk. AFAIK only Chinese passport holders can use egates for now.

That's what I was expecting but I guess stranger things can happen! Just hope we're not too bewildered after two CX J flights from Oz and some HKG lounge time!

 

[elanshin]

That's what I was expecting but I guess stranger things can happen! Just hope we're not too bewildered after two CX J flights from Oz and some HKG lounge time!

If you need to access WiFi at the airport, assuming it's the same setup, there are these little self service kiosk stations that you scan your passport and it spits you out a login for the wifi.

 

[Chicken]

Any recent experiences arriving by air at PEK? Is it eGates or front up to a counter?

Only Chinese passports, and Taiwanese who are forced to use a Chinese issued ID card for Taiwanese (because, you know, Taiwan is not a country ), are eligible to use eGate. All others have to use human counters.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Any recent experiences arriving by air at PEK? Is it eGates or front up to a counter?

Foreigners who do not hold special Chinese Visas must lineup and present to counter when called - can be quickly processed or can be quite long - luck of the draw

 

[bobbinbrisco]

Australia travel visa waiver ends 31 Dec 2025 what's the likelihood it'll be extended as I'm looking at travelling in Jan 2026 or should I be organizing a visa...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Australia travel visa waiver ends 31 Dec 2025 what's the likelihood it'll be extended as I'm looking at travelling in Jan 2026 or should I be organizing a visa...

Can’t see why it won’t be extended. I would think it’s way too early to be looking at a visa now… only takes a week if you can get into one of their offices anyway.

I think you can only apply for a tourist visa a maximum of three months before your intended arrival anyway. So plenty of time.

 

[Chicken]

Australia travel visa waiver ends 31 Dec 2025 what's the likelihood it'll be extended as I'm looking at travelling in Jan 2026 or should I be organizing a visa...

Chinese Communist Party created this visa free policy, because foreigners and foreign funds were exiting China, while the economy in China was going in reverse, so they wanted to attract foreigners.

Hence, the answer to your question would be: how bad do you think the economy in China will be in 6 months' time? How many more foreigners would have left China due to personal security reasons?

I would think it’s way too early to be looking at a visa now

Agree, it's only beginning of May, unlike the USA where the queue for interview is 7 months long.

I think you can only apply for a tourist visa a maximum of three months before your intended arrival anyway. So plenty of time.

Also, you need to have all your flights and hotels book before you are allowed to submit a visa application, they won't even bother with accepting if you don't have your hotels booked, so it's a waste of time to apply so early even if you can.

If you are going in 2026 Jan, I would re-visit this topic beginning of Nov, taking into Christmas + new year public holidays (Luner new year is around 2026 Feb).

 

[moa999]

Agree it's likely to be extended, particularly with Labor re-elected we are less likely to put our foot in it with China politically.

But if possible I'd plan a trip that also qualified for 240hr TWOV as a backup, if that's possible.

 

[bobbinbrisco]

ok cool a bit annoying about the uncertainty particularly when planning a trip during the school holidays and award flights

 

[Chicken]

ok cool a bit annoying about the uncertainty particularly when planning a trip during the school holidays and award flights

The only 'uncertainty' I would consider is how likely I would become a political hostage when inside China (assuming you are not of Chinese heritage)

Their visa application process look serious; but having applied for tourist visas in 2018 and 2019, plus using their 240 hours landing visa in 2018, it feels like it's one of those box ticking bureaucracy exercises in an authoritarian country, to justify a job for a government offical and public servants, than an actual serious interrogation of an application itself (unlike the USA).

You give them something to do, they put on a show to show they have a job to do, thing.

Hence I would not stress about it.

 

[RSD]

ok cool a bit annoying about the uncertainty particularly when planning a trip during the school holidays and award flights

I think that you will be fine - just keep an eye out for announcements. They are increasing the number of countries for the visa-free program rather than decreasing them.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

ok cool a bit annoying about the uncertainty particularly when planning a trip during the school holidays and award flights

Even if it doesn’t get extended, if you live in or near a major capital city, the entire tourist visa process… drop off to pick up, takes a week.

 

[SYD]

Even if it doesn’t get extended, if you live in or near a major capital city, the entire tourist visa process… drop off to pick up, takes a week.

But still a bit more onerous than just rocking up - as I’m about to find out.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But still a bit more onerous than just rocking up - as I’m about to find out.

Depends when you go to the visa centre. Most people tend to drop off their applications on Monday or Tuesday, so the drop-off lines are long, And they collect them on Thursday or Friday, so the pick-up lines are long.

A good hack was to reverse the timings… drop off on Thursday or Friday when everyone else is there to collect. And pick up on Monday/Tuesaday when everyone else is there to drop off.

 

[SYD]

Depends when you go to the visa centre. Most people tend to drop off their applications on Monday or Tuesday, so the drop-off lines are long, And they collect them on Thursday or Friday, so the pick-up lines are long.

A good hack was to reverse the timings… drop off on Thursday or Friday when everyone else is there to collect. And pick up on Monday/Tuesaday when everyone else is there to drop off.

Still a PITA. I’d be surprised if they return to the archaic method given EVERYTHING else seems to be linked to your PP as your “ticket”to travel, enter places, fart, eat and move. All done electronically.

Literally as I was typing, I received a WhatsApp message telling me to use my PP to enter the Terracotta Warriors using my PP.

 

[moa999]

At least the newer R series passports have a much more robust photo page (also containing the chip).

The P series is much more flimsy and has a separate chip page - always worried me scanning it continually.

I do hope most countries eventually move solely to or also accept a Passport card (like US citizens can use in Canada, Mexico and bits of Carribbean, and Irish citizens can use in most of the EU)