The Chinese Embassy in India on Friday said that it issued 1,80,000 Chinese visas to Indian citizens in the year 2023, according to a report by The Times of India.
Wang Xiaojian, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy, said that these were among the steps taken by the embassy to facilitate travel for Indian citizens to China. “More than 180,000 Chinese Visas have been issued to Indian citizens in 2023! In the past year, the Chinese Embassy & Consulates-General in India have taken a package of measures to better facilitate Indian citizens travelling to China, such as online appointment removal, fingerprints exemption and temporary fee reduction,” Wang Xiaojian was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
He said that he hopes India will reciprocate the move by resuming the normal visa channels for Chinese citizens travelling to India. He highlighted that it is important to continue the mutual people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two nations and urged for swift action.
The newspaper citing the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that India suspended tourist visas for Chinese nationals in 2022. It said that a IATA circular issued to its member carriers conveyed that tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals were no longer valid for entry into India.
The aviation body outlined specific categories of individuals who were exempt from this suspension. Entry into the country was allowed for citizens of Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Nepal, as well as passengers holding a residence permit issued by India. Those with visas or e-visas issued by India, along with individuals possessing an overseas citizen of India card or booklet, including Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cardholders, and those with a diplomatic passport, were also granted permission to enter. It also highlighted that tourist visas with a validity of 10 years were no longer considered valid for entry into India.
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