China resumes visa-free entry for citizens of Singapore and Brunei

The Chinese embassies in Singapore and Brunei Darussalam have announced that the Chinese government will allow citizens of both countries to travel to China without a visa for a stay of up to 15 days, starting from Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

Citizens of Singapore and Brunei holding ordinary passports will have visa-free access to China for various purposes, including business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, and transit, as stated in the embassies’ notices on their websites. It has also been clarified that the Chinese visas issued to citizens of both countries before July 26, 2023, will remain valid. Furthermore, visa applications received before this date will be processed and issued as usual.

This decision comes after over three years of China suspending visa-free entry for citizens of both Singapore and Brunei in response to the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, the Chinese visa policy allowed citizens of Singapore, Brunei, and Japan to enter China without a visa for a stay of up to 15 days. However, this policy was suspended in March 2020. Now, China is resuming visa-free entry for citizens of Singapore and Brunei while the status of Japanese passport holders for visa-free travel to China remains suspended until further notice.

It is worth noting that the Singaporean passport currently holds the top position in the Guide Passport Index for 2023, making it the world’s most powerful passport. It allows its holders to travel to the largest number of countries around the world without a visa compared to any other passport.Overall, this move is expected to enhance travel opportunities and strengthen the people-to-people exchanges between China, Singapore, and Brunei.