Beijing has kicked off 2026 with a pro-mobility gesture: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on 1 January that embassies and consulates worldwide will continue to levy visa fees at their current 2023-era discounted rates for another full year. At the same time, the temporary suspension of compulsory fingerprint collection for short-stay visas (visits not exceeding 180 days) has been extended to the same date.
The measures, first introduced in early 2023 to stimulate travel after the pandemic, were due to lapse on 31 December 2025. Their renewal keeps application costs roughly 25–40 percent below pre-COVID levels and eliminates a biometric step that previously required in-person appointments at visa centres. For multinational companies the extension removes a cost that can run to hundreds of dollars per employee and shaves at least one working day off the lead-time for urgent trips.
Companies and individual travelers who would rather not navigate these shifting requirements themselves can turn to VisaHQ for help. Its dedicated China page (https://www.visahq.com/china/) automatically updates with the current discounted fees and fingerprint waivers, offers step-by-step application guidance, and can arrange courier pickup or in-person submission on your behalf—saving valuable time while ensuring error-free paperwork.
![China extends reduced visa fees and fingerprint waiver for short-term visitors until 31 December 2026]()
Consular officials say demand for business (M) visas has been outpacing tourist (L) visas since mid-2025, reflecting renewed foreign investment missions and the return of large-scale trade fairs. In practical terms, applicants need only submit a completed online form, passport, photo and itinerary; fingerprints will be taken only for long-stay work (Z) and residence (D) categories.
Travel-management companies advise clients to file early anyway. Peak-season appointment slots can disappear weeks in advance, particularly in cities with high ethnic-Chinese populations such as Vancouver and Kuala Lumpur. However, the relaxed rules mean corporates can now move junior staff or third-party contractors on short notice without paying expedited-processing premiums.
Looking ahead, diplomats hint that the fee schedule could be incorporated into a permanent tariff overhaul, especially if inbound numbers hit the National Immigration Administration’s 50-million-visitor target for 2026.
The measures, first introduced in early 2023 to stimulate travel after the pandemic, were due to lapse on 31 December 2025. Their renewal keeps application costs roughly 25–40 percent below pre-COVID levels and eliminates a biometric step that previously required in-person appointments at visa centres. For multinational companies the extension removes a cost that can run to hundreds of dollars per employee and shaves at least one working day off the lead-time for urgent trips.
Companies and individual travelers who would rather not navigate these shifting requirements themselves can turn to VisaHQ for help. Its dedicated China page (https://www.visahq.com/china/) automatically updates with the current discounted fees and fingerprint waivers, offers step-by-step application guidance, and can arrange courier pickup or in-person submission on your behalf—saving valuable time while ensuring error-free paperwork.
Consular officials say demand for business (M) visas has been outpacing tourist (L) visas since mid-2025, reflecting renewed foreign investment missions and the return of large-scale trade fairs. In practical terms, applicants need only submit a completed online form, passport, photo and itinerary; fingerprints will be taken only for long-stay work (Z) and residence (D) categories.
Travel-management companies advise clients to file early anyway. Peak-season appointment slots can disappear weeks in advance, particularly in cities with high ethnic-Chinese populations such as Vancouver and Kuala Lumpur. However, the relaxed rules mean corporates can now move junior staff or third-party contractors on short notice without paying expedited-processing premiums.
Looking ahead, diplomats hint that the fee schedule could be incorporated into a permanent tariff overhaul, especially if inbound numbers hit the National Immigration Administration’s 50-million-visitor target for 2026.
