Georgian citizens will soon enjoy visa-free travel to China, allowing them to stay in the country for up to 30 consecutive days.
The announcement was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on Monday through a post on former Twitter, X, heralding a new era of bilateral relations between the two nations, VisaGuide.World reports.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili, held a pivotal meeting with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Georgia, Zhou Qian, where this groundbreaking agreement was formalized.
As a bilateral visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders is to enter into effect, starting May 28 2024, Georgian citizens will enjoy an opportunity to travel to China without a visa and stay up to 30 days per visit. This landmark agreement will bring two nations closer to each other.
During the meeting, Ambassador Zhou Qian presented an official note to the Georgian delegation, confirming that China has completed all necessary procedures for the implementation of the bilateral agreement between the Governments of Georgia and China regarding visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports.
As of April 2024, the Georgian passport holds the 77th position in the world according to the VisaGuide Passport Index. This ranking grants Georgian citizens visa-free access to 88 countries worldwide. However, for entry into countries not covered by this visa exemption, Georgian passport holders must apply for a visa in advance.
Since Last Year, Chinese Citizens Enjoyed Visa-Free Travel Privilege
Since September 11, 2023, Chinese citizens have enjoyed the privilege of visa-free travel to Georgia, staying for up to 30 days—a move aimed at attracting tourists and fostering reciprocal economic investments.
In this regard, the Economy Minister of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili, highlighted the primary objectives behind this decision, emphasizing the importance of enticing tourists and facilitating economic cooperation between the two countries.
Davitashvili’s remarks come in the wake of Georgia’s thriving tourism sector, which contributed $3.5 billion in direct revenue to the state budget the previous year with optimism for even higher income in 2023.
In a reciprocal move, China announced on February 26 of this year the establishment of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens. Under this new policy, Georgians can now travel to China for stays of up to 30 days, marking another milestone in the deepening ties between the two countries.