China to allow this kind of travelers to come! No visa needed!

“APEC商务旅行卡虚拟卡持卡人入境！无需申办新的签证！”

"Holders of virtual APEC business travel card are free to enter China!No need to apply for a new visa!"

REALLY?

早在去年八月，中国就已经接受持有效APEC商务旅行卡赴华从事商务活动的外国人入境，无需重新申请签证，但却仅限于实体卡，所以对于虚拟卡持卡人而言，入境仍然受阻。

Previously in August 2022, China had already allowed people with physical APEC Business Travel Cards to enter China, and relevant people do not need to re-apply for visas to China. However, it is limited to physical cards, for virtual card holders, entry is still blocked.

如今，好消息再次传来！

Now! Good news here!

近日，中国多个驻外使领馆发布通知，中国一方将于5月1日起接受外方APEC商务旅行卡虚拟卡持卡人入境！

Recently, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad issued a notice that, starting from May 1st 2023, virtual APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) holders will be allowed to enter the Mainland of China with no need to apply for new visas.

目前已发布通知的国家有：澳大利亚、新西兰、马来西亚、泰国、印度尼西亚、卢森堡、秘鲁、日本、文莱、新加坡、埃及。

For now, the news has covered countries including Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Peru, Japan, Brunei, Singapore and Egypt.

在这之前的过渡期里，APEC虚拟卡持卡人入境中国仍需申办新的签证，但中国方会提供相应签证便利。

Virtual APEC business travel card holders are still required to apply for Chinese visas during the transition period before the change becomes effective, and China will provide necessary facilitation in visa applications, according to what was told in the embassy websites.

千盼万盼，终于迎来一个免签好消息！

Finally! We get one more visa- free channel to China!

但是，中国政策里提到的APEC商务旅行卡是什么呢？

But what exactly is the APEC business travel card mentioned in the notice?

APEC商务旅行卡是亚太经合组织（APEC）的21个经济体成员为其公民提供的一种商务旅行卡，可看作是一种多边长期签证。持卡的外国人凭旅行卡和本人有效护照，可在旅行卡有效期内免办签证多次入出中国国境，每次可在华停留60天。The APEC Business Travel Card is a multilateral long-term visa provided by 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) for their citizens. With a valid passport, the holders can enter and exit China multiple times without applying for a visa within the validity period of the card and can stay in China for 60 days each time.
目前，APEC 21个经济体均已加入该计划，包括澳大利亚、文莱、加拿大、智利、中国、中国香港、印度尼西亚、日本、韩国、马来西亚、墨西哥、新西兰、巴布亚新几内亚、秘鲁、菲律宾、俄罗斯、新加坡、中国台北、泰国、美国和越南。其中，美国和加拿大目前为过渡成员，不接受其他经济体的旅行卡申请，但为其他经济体持卡人提供签证申请及入出境通关便利。At present, the 21 APEC economies include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taipei (China), Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. Among them, the United States and Canada are currently transitional members and do not accept travel card applications from other economies, but provide visa applications and entry and exit facilities for cardholders from other economies. 

除了免签政策恢复，登机核酸检测要求也有所放松。

In addition to the resumption of the visa-free policy, the requirements for COVID tests on boarding have also been relaxed.

驻新西兰、南非、马来西亚、斯里兰卡和匈牙利等多个中国驻外使馆通知，自3月1日起，允许从搭乘当地来华直飞航班人员以抗原检测（包括用试剂盒自测）替代核酸检测，各大航司不再查验48小时核酸阴性结果。

Chinese embassies in New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Hungary have informed that from March 1, passengers taking direct flights from the local areas to China can replace 48-hour nucleic acid testing with antigen testing (including self-testing), and airlines will no longer check relevant reports.

照这样发展，相信旅游签很快也会恢复开放，那就先浅浅期待一波吧！

From the good news recently, tourist visa might be resumed soon too! Already excited! 

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