U.S. and China extend tourist visa validity to 10 years

Jay Gray (Brand USA) and the U.S. team at ITB Asia

The 10-year validity policy, applicable for U.S. travellers heading to China and Chinese travelers coming to the U.S., is the longest validity possible under U.S. law. The U.S. and Chinese governments also increased the validity of student and exchange visas from one to five years. 

President Obama on Monday said the U.S. and China had come to an agreement to extend the validity of short-term tourist and business visas for travellers in both directions from one to 10 years, a move applauded by the travel industry. 

“This policy move will harness the colossal and growing Chinese travel market for the direct benefit of U.S. job creation, exports and economic growth,” U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow said in a statement. 

“Chinese travel dollars are among the most potent of all for the U.S. Overseas visitors spend an average of $4,500 per trip, but for Chinese visitors the figure is $7,200, the largest of any country.”

The 10-year validity policy, applicable for U.S. travellers heading to China and Chinese travelers coming to the U.S., is the longest validity possible under U.S. law. The U.S. and Chinese governments also increased the validity of student and exchange visas from one to five years. 

The U.S. will begin issuing visas in China in accordance with the new reciprocal agreement on Wednesday.

With the help of the more liberal visa policy, up to 7.3 million Chinese visitors — more than any other country except Canada and Mexico — are projected to visit the U.S. in 2021, contributing roughly US$85 billion per year to the U.S. economy and supporting 440,000 American jobs, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said in a statement.

The White House posted a fact sheet on the new visa validity policy. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/10/fact-sheet-supporting-american-job-growth-and-strengthening-ties-extendi.