Upon reaching China, a Singaporean woman was shocked to find she needed a visa to enter the country.
She ultimately had to return to Hong Kong, where she had arrived from.
Detailing her experience to Shin Min Daily News, the woman said other Singaporean tourists at the scene were also unaware of the requirement.
On 8 Feb, the woman boarded a flight from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China, for a business trip.
Source: 李大毛 没有猫 on Unsplash
When she reached, authorities informed her at customs that she would need a visa to enter the country.
Taken aback, she said other Singaporean travellers in the area were similarly surprised by the requirement.
Eventually, the woman had to return to Hong Kong but could not book an appointment to apply for a visa as it was full.
The only opening for an appointment was the week after. To make matters worse, the woman said she had to prepare many documents for the visa, with approval taking 10 working days.
The woman pointed out that previously, Singaporean travellers entering China for a maximum stay of 15 days or a business trip did not require a visa.
While this is true, the official website for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced the suspension of visa-free entry from March 2020 onwards.
Currently, the website for the Chinese embassy in Singapore states that this suspension has not been lifted.
Essentially, Singaporeans must obtain a valid visa to enter China.
Enquiring around with her colleagues, the woman realised the same.
Her experience, she said, should be a reminder for Singaporeans travelling to China to apply for a visa.
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Featured images adapted from MS News and 李大毛 没有猫 on Unsplash.
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