China has granted visa-free travel to citizens of Georgia, as announced by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze after a government meeting on Monday.
Under this new policy, Georgians can now travel to China for stays up to 30 days, VisaGuide.World reports.
Kobakhidze called this an important decision while expressing gratitude to Chinese authorities.
This decision is another important practical result of the strategic partnership agreement signed between Georgia and China last year. I would like to congratulate our fellow citizens and thank our Chinese friends, the Chinese authorities for this important decision.
Regarding this issue, the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili, has further revealed that the new measure will come into effect within a few days, as reported by Radio Free Europe.
It’s not a matter of months, it is a matter of days when it comes into force – 30 days exactly in one visit. We have the same regime for Chinese citizens.
On the other hand, last year, the Georgian government announced a similar decision for Chinese nationals. Starting from September 2023, citizens of China have been permitted visa-free entry to Georgia for stays up to 30 days.
Such a decision was made in a bid to boost the country’s tourism and ease the reciprocal economic investments.
China is the second-largest economy in the world. One of our main interests is to strengthen trade and economic relations with China, attract more investments from China, and attract more tourists.
Georgians Can Travel Without a Visa to 87 Countries Worldwide
As of February 2024, citizens of Georgia can travel visa-free to 87 countries, according to the VisaGuide Passport Index. However, they must possess a Georgian passport valid for at least six months after their departure date.
Meanwhile, 24 countries issue e-visas for Georgian passport holders, while 36 others offer visas on arrival.
On the other hand, Georgian nationals are required to obtain a traditional visa for travelling to 79 countries worldwide.
China Removed & Facilitated Visa-Entry to Several Countries
In addition to Georgia, China has recently lifted and eased visa restrictions to other countries worldwide. Among other things, such measures were taken in a bid to attract more tourists.
Last month, China and Singapore lifted visa restrictions for each other citizens for stays up to 30 days, while the measure took effect on February 9.
Within the same month, the Chinese government revealed its plans to grant visa-free entry to Swiss and Irish citizens as well. Furthermore, China has eased visa-entry rules for American tourists.
Meanwhile, starting in March of this year, citizens of China and Thailand will be able to travel to each other’s countries due to an agreement reached between the two governments in January 2024.
Last year, China witnessed nearly 35 million entries and exits from international visitors, as revealed by the country’s National Immigration Administration. This figure represented a 218.7 per cent increase compared to 2022, although it was still below 2019 figures.