From March 31, 2025, visa applications for China from France will demand a new online verification process.
France is included in China’s unilateral visa-free policy, meaning that French nationals can travel to China visa-free for stays that do not surpass 30 days, however, China is continuing to modernize its consular services for travellers subject to visas, VisaGuide.World reports.
The Chinese Visa Center in Paris announced that from March 31, 2025, online pre-verification will become obligatory for visa applications submitted to its services. The same decision will also be applied to the Chinese Visa Center located in Marseille.
However, through a statement, the visa centre emphasizes that the new rules will not be applied to those applying for visas to Hong Kong and Macau.
Once the online pre-check is validated, they can go to the Marseille visa centre to submit their application. (Applicants for diplomatic, official, etc. visas will still need to complete their application form online and upload their documents before going directly to the Chinese Consulate General in Marseille for submission.)
The new changes, according to the visa center, will become effective on March 28, 2025, at 3 pm.
After this update, forms completed on the current website will no longer be usable. We, therefore, recommend that applicants who have already completed a form on the current website submit their application to the visa centre in Marseille before March 28th at 1 pm.
The Chinese visa centre in France advised all applicants not to fill out any forms from March 28 at 1 pm to March 31 at 9 am, in order to avoid any loss of data.
France Included on China’s Visa-Free Policy
In November 2024, China extended its visa-free policy to several foreign countries, including France.
The decision means that from November 20, 2024, until December 31, 2025, nationals of France will be able to travel to China without visas and stay there legally for 30 days for tourism, business or transit purposes among others.
In addition to France, several other European countries such as Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Bulgaria and Romania are also included in the unilateral visa-free policy of China.
However, for longer stays nationals of France are required to apply for a visa, depending on the purpose of their travel to China.