Yahoo Finance China's huge $110 offer to every Australian citizens: 'More powerful'
It will now be easier and cheaper for Aussies to travel to China.
Australians will now be able to travel to China without having to pay and apply for a visa, making our passports even more powerful. Australia will join several other nations, including New Zealand, in the visa-free travel program.
The change means Aussies can travel to China for up to 15 days for business, tourism and to visit loved ones without requiring a visa. This will save Aussies about $110, the current cost for a single-entry tourist visa.
Other countries included on the visa waiver list include New Zealand, who was recently added to the program in May, along with Singapore, France, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Thailand.
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Chinese Premier Li Qiang made the announcement after a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra.
"We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members — so as to better facilitate personal exchanges, China will also include Australia in its Visa Waiver Program," Li said.
Multiple entry visas mean a person will be able to enter and exit the country as many times as they want during the time their visa is valid.
Australia currently has the sixth most powerful passport in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index. With this change, an Aussie passport will now give visa-free access to 190 out of 227 destinations worldwide.
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Passport prices going up
Australian passport prices will be going up from July 1. This is the second time prices have gone up this year and will make them the most expensive in the world.
The price of a standard adult passport will increase from $346 to $398. That’s a price hike of about 15 per cent, or $50.
It’s not the only change coming for Aussie passports next month. Announced in the budget, Aussies will soon be able to pay $100 to have their passport application fast-tracked and processed within five business days.
This will be an extra option to the existing $252 fast-track option, which takes two days. Travellers usually need to allow at least six weeks to receive a passport.
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