Authorities in North Korea have reinitiated issuing visas to nationals from China, nearly four years after the government decided to close the borders as a result of the Coronavirus situation.
According to a report from the Diplomat, authorities in North Korea are giving priority to visas for Chinese investors, traders, and technicians, VisaGuide.World reports.
Recently, Daily NK obtained a picture of a visa issued by North Korea to a Chinese person in early December. The visa consists of information related to the applicant’s passport number, period of validity, destination, stay duration, the entry point at the border, travel companion, and the issuance date and place, among others.
Taking into account the information as well as a background image, the visa was the same as those issued by authorities in North Korea before the closure of the border in January 2020.
Authorities in North Korea started accepting visa applications from Chinese nationals in early November with experience engaging in economic activity in North Korea, and from December 1, started issuing visas.
The visa obtained by Daily NK was valid for a period of 90 days. However, applicants are eligible to apply for a longer visa, depending on the purpose of their stay.
A source in China told Daily NK that authorities in North Korea initially issued visas to Chinese investors who invested in factories producing clothes, shoes, construction materials, and other products.
North Korea has granted a large number of visas to traders who used to deal with trading companies in this territory, and they are expected to continuously export North Korean products to China and import items into North Korea.
In August this year, a report from CNN noted that North Korea might be considering permitting a few tourists to travel to this territory for the first time since the pandemic.
Besides, in the same month, flights on North Korea’s national carrier, Air Koryo, began reoffering services between North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, and Beijing, China, as well as Vladivostok, Russia, for the first time since January 2020.
As a result of the COVID situation, individual tourists are not allowed to reach North Korea.
Unlike other countries, North Korea didn’t permit its citizens to return home from elsewhere; however, on August 27, the North Korean government emphasized that it would permit its citizens located abroad to return home. However, the government clarified that they would be required to undergo a quarantine process.