The Chinese Embassy and its five consulates in Australia have quietly extended a pandemic-era incentive that slashes standard visa fees for all nationalities—Australians and third-country applicants alike—through 31 December 2026. The announcement, dated 30 December 2025, keeps in place discounts that reduce single-entry L-, M- and Q-class visa charges for Australian citizens from AU$109 to AU$56 and bring multi-entry F- and M-class fees down by roughly 40 percent. Fees for citizens of other countries applying in Australia are similarly reduced on a sliding scale.
The move follows Canberra’s approval in October of additional China Southern and China Eastern frequencies to Melbourne and Brisbane for 2026, and comes as bilateral trade talks pick up after years of tariff disputes. By making visas cheaper, Beijing hopes to accelerate the rebound of Australian outbound travel to China, which remains at only 62 percent of 2019 levels. Travel-industry estimates suggest the fee cut could save a family of four more than AU$200—enough, agents say, to convert interest into bookings at the margin.
VisaHQ, an online visa-processing platform, can streamline applications under the discounted fee regime by pre-checking documentation, scheduling biometrics appointments, and submitting paperwork to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centers on the traveller’s behalf—saving both time and the risk of rejection. Travellers and corporate mobility managers can start the process or compare visa options at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
![Beijing cuts Chinese visa fees in Australia through end-2026 to lure business and leisure travellers]()
For corporates, the savings are even more pronounced on multiple-entry M-visas frequently used by engineers and project managers who shuttle between Australian mines or LNG sites and Chinese equipment suppliers. Mobility teams should update cost-comparison tools and inform travellers that the waiver applies until at least the end of 2026, but that visa-centre processes (biometrics, invitation letters) remain unchanged.
Industry experts note that the fee relief dovetails with China’s unilateral 30-day visa-free entry for Australians launched in November, creating a two-tiered choice: travellers who need stays longer than 30 days or multiple entries can apply at a discounted rate, while short-stay visitors can skip the visa altogether. Consular officials emphasise that visa-free entrants must still carry proof of onward travel and accommodation.
Tourism Australia welcomed the extension, saying it removes a “perceptual barrier” and complements the Chinese government’s recent decision to restore group-tour status for Australia. Early-2026 seat capacity between the two countries is projected to reach 95 percent of pre-Covid levels, aided by additional Airbus A350 deliveries to Chinese carriers.
The move follows Canberra’s approval in October of additional China Southern and China Eastern frequencies to Melbourne and Brisbane for 2026, and comes as bilateral trade talks pick up after years of tariff disputes. By making visas cheaper, Beijing hopes to accelerate the rebound of Australian outbound travel to China, which remains at only 62 percent of 2019 levels. Travel-industry estimates suggest the fee cut could save a family of four more than AU$200—enough, agents say, to convert interest into bookings at the margin.
VisaHQ, an online visa-processing platform, can streamline applications under the discounted fee regime by pre-checking documentation, scheduling biometrics appointments, and submitting paperwork to the Chinese Visa Application Service Centers on the traveller’s behalf—saving both time and the risk of rejection. Travellers and corporate mobility managers can start the process or compare visa options at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
For corporates, the savings are even more pronounced on multiple-entry M-visas frequently used by engineers and project managers who shuttle between Australian mines or LNG sites and Chinese equipment suppliers. Mobility teams should update cost-comparison tools and inform travellers that the waiver applies until at least the end of 2026, but that visa-centre processes (biometrics, invitation letters) remain unchanged.
Industry experts note that the fee relief dovetails with China’s unilateral 30-day visa-free entry for Australians launched in November, creating a two-tiered choice: travellers who need stays longer than 30 days or multiple entries can apply at a discounted rate, while short-stay visitors can skip the visa altogether. Consular officials emphasise that visa-free entrants must still carry proof of onward travel and accommodation.
Tourism Australia welcomed the extension, saying it removes a “perceptual barrier” and complements the Chinese government’s recent decision to restore group-tour status for Australia. Early-2026 seat capacity between the two countries is projected to reach 95 percent of pre-Covid levels, aided by additional Airbus A350 deliveries to Chinese carriers.
