Singapore and China will kick off their mutual 30-day visa-free arrangement on Friday (Feb 9), in time for the Chinese New Year holidays.

The agreement, signed on Jan 25 by officials from both sides, will allow ordinary passport holders from Singapore and China to enter each other’s country without the need for a visa, and for a stay of up to 30 days.

The exemption was first announced in December 2023 when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was in China for an annual top-level meeting between the two governments on cooperation and joint projects.

The visa scheme was expected to begin in early 2024.

China reinstated a 15-day visa-free policy for Singaporeans earlier in July 2023, after a suspension of more than three years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Jan 25, Chinese media reported the start date of the new 30-day visa-free scheme, adding that China now has “comprehensive” mutual visa exemption arrangements with at least 22 countries including Singapore.

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More than 3.5 million Chinese tourists visited Singapore in 2019, but post-Covid arrivals have not rebounded to such levels.

This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Feb 10. THE STRAITS TIMES