China refuses to lift suspension on multiple-entry visas despite appeal from thousands of Chinese-Americans

Beijing has said 10-year visas issued before the pandemic remain suspended, even though new applications are allowed

Chinese-Americans who benefited from the scheme said they have been unable to visit family for three years as a result of the pandemic

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Many Chinese-Americans have been unable to visit their families for the past three years. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:00pm, 21 Jan 2023Updated: 7:35pm, 21 Jan 2023

China has said multiple-year multi-entry visas issued before the pandemic will remain suspended despite an appeal by tens of thousands of Chinese-Americans to reinstate all visas issued in the past.

A reciprocal arrangement between the two countries allows them to issue 10-year multiple-entry visas to each others’ citizens, an arrangement that has proved particularly popular with Chinese-Americans.

However, some Chinese Americans told the South China Morning Post that they were given the option to apply for a new 10-year multiple-entry visa when they applied for a visa to China recently.

The Chinese embassy in the United States said in a Friday statement that the multiple-year multiple-entry visas issued before March 26, 2020, will “continue to be suspended”, even though they are still valid, “mainly because a large number of them are tourist visas”.

It said holders of these visas can apply for new ones if they need to travel to China and the embassy and consulates will “review [the applications] and issue new visas” to them.

“In the future, China will adjust relevant measures in a timely manner according to the development of the epidemic situation, and promote the gradual normalisation of personnel exchanges between China and other countries,” the statement said.