In 2014, the Beijing Border Inspection announced the most significant changes by the Ministry of Public Security since the founding of the People's Republic of China, fully liberalizing visa-free and visa-on-arrival exit for Chinese citizens! From now on, all countries that unilaterally grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival status to our country will allow direct exit. The end of one era marks the beginning of another; let us welcome this new era of truly spontaneous travel together!
Let us take a look at other latest changes:
Comparison between the January 2014 updated version and the October 2013 version
Haiti has been added to the list of countries allowing exit with a blank passport.
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau have been added to the electronic visa list.
Tajikistan no longer requires assertive negotiation to board the plane.
Malaysia has resumed visa-on-arrival.
Reiteration: Previously, the policies of Chinese border inspection and the visa-on-arrival policies granted by other countries to Chinese passports were two completely different concepts. Chinese border inspection would only allow exit if the other country had notified the Chinese government through diplomatic channels regarding visa-free or visa-on-arrival status, for example: Georgia, Maldives, Mauritius. Otherwise, even if visa-on-arrival or visa-free status was granted, exit was not permitted, for example: Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania. However, according to the latest news in February 2014, border inspection can now directly allow exit for all unilateral visa-free policies.
Note: This list applies only to ordinary private passports of mainland China. Diplomatic/official/ordinary passports for official business are not within the scope of this discussion.
The following countries allow exit even with a blank passport (a blank passport refers to a passport without any valid visas):
1. Jeju Island, South Korea (30 days)
2. Indonesia (30 days)
3. Maldives (30 days)
4. Saipan (45 days)
5. Cambodia e-visa (Application website: http://www.mfaic.gov.kh/evisa/?lang=CHiS)
6. Malaysia (holding a flight ticket for transit within 72 hours) Note: The official Malaysian policy is actually 120 hours, but some border inspection points only allow exit within 72 hours.
7. Brunei (holding a flight ticket for transit within 72 hours)
8. Bahrain (14 days)
9. Jordan (14 days)
10. Georgia (Note: Georgia is a visa-on-arrival destination for blank passports allowed by border inspection, but if you hold a multiple-entry visa valid for more than 1 year from the US, Schengen, UK, or Ireland that has been used at least once, you can enter visa-free for 90 days; the difference is the saved visa fee.)
Special note: If departing from the Urumqi border inspection point to Georgia, you must hold the original invitation letter; other ports do not have this requirement.
11. Mauritius (30 days)
12. Seychelles (30 days)
13. Fiji (120 days)
14. Palau (30 days)
15. Vanuatu (30 days) Note: After verification by multiple parties, Vanuatu is not on the list of countries allowing exit with a blank passport, but since the only way to get there visa-free is via Fiji, this country is kept here.
16. Federated States of Micronesia (30 days)
17. Tuvalu (30 days)
18. Samoa (30 days)
19. Comoros (45 days)
20. Sri Lanka e-visa (Application website: http://ww.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/)
21. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China (7 days, holding a flight ticket from Hong Kong to a third country within 7 days)
22. Macau Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China (7 days, holding a flight ticket from Macau to a third country within 7 days)
23. Myanmar: If you want unconditional visa-on-arrival, it is limited to taking Myanmar Airways flight 712 directly from Guangzhou to Yangon without an invitation letter. Taking other direct flights, such as China Southern CZ3055, Kunming's China Eastern MU2031/2011, Air China CA905, or transferring from a third country, all require an invitation letter.
24. Haiti: No direct flights.
E-visas allowed by border inspection:
1. Singapore
2. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, requires holding a valid visa from Australia (must be a sticker visa, electronic ones are not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel)
3. Australia
4. Qatar
5. United Arab Emirates
6. Senegal
7. Guinea-Bissau
Countries that grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival status, which were previously unilateral policies not recognized by border inspection, but are now allowed:
1. Dominica
2. Turks and Caicos Islands
3. Thailand
4. Nepal
5. Laos
6. Lebanon
7. Cook Islands
8. Niue
9. Kenya
10. Tanzania
11. Djibouti
12. Uganda
13. Mozambique
14. Madagascar
15. Togo
16. Cape Verde
17. Somaliland (not Somalia, just next to Somalia)
18. Bangladesh (limited to visa-on-arrival at Dhaka Airport)
19. Ethiopia (airport only, land entry not allowed)
20. Burkina Faso (land entry only)
21. Eswatini (if transferring via South Africa, you must hold a South African transit visa)
22. Dutch Caribbean islands: The new regulation is that with a visa for any one of these islands, you can visit the others. (Example: With an Aruba visa, you can go to the Netherlands Antilles, including Saint Martin)
23. Northern Cyprus: Everyone can enter visa-free, but if you need to go to Cyprus (the European part), you need to hold a Cyprus visa or meet the Schengen visa-free requirements (see Section G)
24. Tajikistan (Dushanbe Airport only)
25. Malaysia (requires holding a valid Singapore or Thailand visa, and flying from Singapore or Thailand to Malaysia; can be obtained at Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Penang airports by paying 330 MYR (approx. 110 USD))
Countries with visa-free or visa-on-arrival status that require simple advance procedures:
1. Cuba (need to purchase a tourist card from the airline when boarding)
2. Iran (can get visa-on-arrival if you can board the plane, land entry not allowed)
3. Timor-Leste (airport only, need to email the immigration bureau in advance to apply for permission)
4. Rwanda (apply directly on the website, pick up visa at the airport https://www.migration.gov.rw/)