Singapore and China will allow their passport holders to travel visa-free between each other’s territories starting from Chinese New Year’s Eve, which falls on 9 Feb.
Citizens with ordinary passports from either country will be able to stay in the other country for up to 30 days.
They include those travelling for purposes of tourism, social visits, and business.
Currently, citizens of China need to apply for a visa before they can come to Singapore. Meanwhile, Singapore citizens have a 15-day limit if they visit China without a visa.
According to China Daily, representatives from both governments signed the agreement in Beijing on Thursday (25 Jan).
Source: Wikimedia Commons
This agreement grants citizens of both countries visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days.
The new regulation will kick in on 9 Feb, which is the eve of Chinese New Year.
It will apply to ordinary passport holders travelling for purposes of tourism, visiting relatives, or business.
Currently, Singapore passport holders can travel to China for 15 days without a visa, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) China Travel Page.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
China passport holders, on the other hand, need to apply for a visa before they can enter Singapore.
The two governments had to previously suspend talks for the policy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Lianhe Zaobao reported.
Discussions resumed on 26 July 2023.
Subsequently, representatives from Singapore and China jointly announced the proposed arrangement on 7 Dec 2023 during the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC).
The meeting was co-chaired by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.
At the council, DPM Wong noted that this will allow for more “people-to-people exchanges”.
In addition, this will strengthen the “bedrock” of the relationship between the two nations.
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Featured image adapted from Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia Commons.
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