China lifts 2-yr Covid visa ban on Indians

BEIJING: The Chinese embassy in India on Monday updated is Covid-19 visa policy after over two years and begun accepting the visa applications of foreign nationals - along with their familieswanting to return to China to resume work in all fields.

The news has come as a huge relief of the hundreds of Indian professionals who have been unable to return to China since Covid-related restrictions were introduced by Beijing in 2020.

Separately, China is also processing requests of thousands of Indian students studying in Chinese universities who have conveyed their interest to rejoin their colleges and universities. Last month, a number of Indian professionals based in China urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to press Beijing to allow their stranded families to return.

Besides the Indians, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi said family members of Chinese citizens and foreigners with Chinese permanent residence permits looking to visit China to reunited with their families or visit relatives can apply for visas.

Besides Indians, some of whom have Chinese spouses, many Chinese employees working for various companies were also stranded in India due to Beijing’s blanket visa bans and flight cancellations.

However, visas for tourism and private purposes remain suspended, the Chinese Embassy announcement said.

In April, after prolonged representations from India, China agreed to permit the return of “some” stranded Indian students and asked the Indian Embassy here to collect the details of the students wanting to return.

As per earlier reports, over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine in Chinese colleges, are stuck in India

Over 12,000 Indian students have reportedly expressed their wish to return and their details have been forwarded to the Chinese government for processing.