China’s 'on arrival' visa for Bangladeshis

Last week, China announced 'visa on arrival' for Bangladeshi citizens. Qualified Bangladeshis with relevant supporting documents and who want to visit the country on urgent humanitarian, business and other grounds, can now apply for port visas at relevant Chinese ports.

The duration for these visas will not be more than 30 days.

The move has been taken to encourage more Bangladeshis to visit China. The number has been increasing over the past few years. According to newspapers, 39,055 Bangladeshis visited China in 2016, followed by 47,430 in 2017. This year, the number of Bangladeshi visitors has already crossed 50,000.

Besides tourism, many Bangladeshis visit China on business purposes. Trade between Bangladesh and China is increasing. Bilateral trade reached around US$ 16 billion in 2017. Also, Chinese investments now stand at $85.94 million and $380 million in terms of stock in Bangladesh.

As such, it is hoped that this new facility will strengthen the relation between Bangladesh and China. On-arrival visa will also help people who need to visit China urgently.

I hope one day more countries of the world will become visa-free.

Mohammed Sohel Hara

Banasree, Dhaka

[email protected]