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The government of New Zealand has announced a trailing visa waiver policy for nationals of China traveling from Australia.

The decision has been confirmed through a statement provided by Immigration New Zealand, which explained that from November 2025, Chinese tourists traveling from Australia with a valid Australian visitor, study, work, or family visa will be permitted visa-free entry, VisaGuide.World reports.

However, it was stressed that this group of travelers will need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority. The trial period will last 12 month, and only then it will be decided whether this policy will be made permanent.

To increase the number of Chinese tourists coming to New Zealand, from November 2025 Chinese tourists traveling from Australia with a valid Australian visitor, work, student, or family visa will be able to travel to New Zealand for up to three months with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), rather than applying for a visa.

This does not include those transiting through Australia, with the government highlighting that applicants are still required to meet specific requirements for an NZeTA.

Through the statement, the government emphasizes that China is among the key markets for New Zealand, offering opportunities for the tourism sector, boosting trade, and strengthening connections between friends and family.

Facilitated Rules for Chinese Tourists Applying for Visas

In addition, the changes will also include additional support that will help to make it easier for Chinese tourists to apply for a visa.

It includes additional dedicated contact points for the Chinese travel industry with staff based in China, as well as a phone number that they can ask for additional support between 07:00 and 18:00 NZT Monday to Friday.

These changes also complement the work we have been doing to improve visa processing times. Visitor Visa applications for Chinese nationals are currently being processed in just 5 days on average as of June 2025 and we are working hard to further improve these times.

Over 240,000 Chinese Visitors Grancted Visitor Visas in 2024

Confirming the new decision, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the Government was helping to boost New Zealand’s attractiveness as a destination for Chinese tourists.

Stanford said that New Zealand issued over 240,000 visitor visas to Chinese nationals, stressing that she expects the figures will continue to increase.

This will make it easier, cheaper, and faster for them to cross the Tasman and visit our shores. The trial will last for 12 months and will be supplemented by further improvements to our immigration processes, making it easier for people applying for a visa.

The Minister emphasized that in the year ended March 2025, visitors from China contributed a total of $1.24 billion to New Zealand’s economy. However, she said that there is still more work to do in order to further increase these figures.

The post New Zealand to Trial Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists With Australian Visas From November appeared first on VisaGuide.News.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced the launch of a new website for its new Golden Visa Program, which is promoted through the Trump.Card.gov.

President Trump said on Wednesday that a large number of wealthy foreign nationals have expressed interest in the new $5 million US residency permit card, VisaGuide.World reports.

Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World.

In spite of the fact that the visas are not yet available, the new website permits interested parties to submit their name, desired visa and email address under a header that says “The Trump Card is Coming”.

Announcing the introduction of the new program, the Trump administration said that the high-price version of this scheme would attract job creators and could also be used to reduce the national deficit in the US.

New Golden Visa Program to Attract Wealthy Investors

In February this year, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced the launch of a new program called the Gold Card that would offer residency in exchange for financial investments.

Back then, the US President said that Russian oligarchs would also be eligible to benefit from this scheme.

We’re going to be selling a gold card. You have a green card; this is a gold card. We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million.

The US President emphasized that the new scheme would be a route to highly prioritize US citizenship.

A lot of people are going to want to be in this country, and they’ll be able to work and provide jobs and build companies. It’ll be people with money.

In March this year, the US Secretary, Howard Lutnick, said that the US sold a total of 1,000 Gold Cards within a day.

Besides, he said that wealthy foreign investors are lining up in a bid to benefit from the new scheme.

In addition, the United States Secretary, Howard Lutnick, also added that based on research with the Trump administration, there are about 37 million people in the world capable of acquiring a Gold Card.

The post Trump Opens $5M US Residency Program Website appeared first on VisaGuide.News.

Indonesian nationals will have a ten-day visa-free transit policy in China, the latter’s authorities have confirmed.

China’s visa-free transit policy applies to a total of 60 ports in the country, VisaGuide.World reports.

The new decision means that transit policy applies to a total of 55 countries with valid international travel documents and interline tickets with confirmed dates, as well as seats to a third country or region that can enter China visa-free at 60 ports, and stay there for ten days.

In line with the new changes, travelers are permitted to engage in tourism, exchange visits, tourism, or family visits.

Expanding the policy to Indonesia will strengthen the positive progress in China-Indonesia cooperation and make trade and investment between the two countries easier, a National Immigration Administration official said.

More Than 9 Million Visitors in 2024

Authorities in China have intensified their efforts to make the travel process easier for foreign nationals.

Each year, the country welcomes a large number of internationals, with the country relying heavily on the tourism sector.

Recently, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said that China recorded over nine million visitors in 2024, up by over 40 percent year-on-year. He also said that in the first four months of 2025, more than 18,000 foreign companies were established in China, up by 12.1 percent year-on-year.

China will continue to improve entry policies and add more countries to the visa-free list. We welcome more foreign friends to visit China for an excellent purchase experience, diverse consumption scenarios, and more convenient services. China is committed to greater openness and deeper cooperation for shared prosperity with the rest of the world. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian

New ASEAN Visa to Boost Tourism

Recently, China introduced a new visa for nationals of ten ASEAN countries and the observer nation of Timor-Leste.

The decision was confirmed through a statement by the Foreign Ministry of China.

The same notes that new program offers five-year multiple-entry visas to applicants traveling to China for business purposes and their spouses and children, offering them a stay of 180 days.

Announcing the new changes, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the new visa will offer greater visa facilitation to ASEAN countries.

It means that the new decision will benefit nationals of the following countries: Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines, Myanmar, Singapore, and Malaysia.

The post China Grants 10-Day Visa-Free Transit to Indonesian Citizens appeared first on VisaGuide.News.

Over 98,000 Indians have applied for the Australian Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visa since it became available to 1,000 Indian nationals last year.

However, the statistics reveal that only 988 visas have been approved up to this point, VisaGuide.World reports.

Indian nationals, for the first time, are being allowed to live, work and explore Australia under the Work and Holiday (Subclass 462) visa, also known as the backpacker visa.

Pre-Application Ballot Visa System

On October 1, 2024, the government of Australia introduced a pre-ballot system for visas, targeting applicants from China, Vietnam, and India.

Based on the recent report of the Administration of the Immigration and Citizenship Programs, the Department of Home Affairs received a total of 139,633 valid registrations from China, India, and Vietnam, up to this point, with a total of 98,019 received from Indian nationals alone.

Interest From Indians Remarkable

Migration agent Vaibhav Patel told SBS Hindi that the level of interest from young Indian nationals has been remarkable.

Patel said that there has been a surge of excitement in India since the visa opened its doors to Indian nationals for the first time last year.

It used to be mostly European countries that had access to this kind of visa for Australia, but now India is part of that list thanks to the free trade agreement. It’s a sign that the relationship between the two countries is really growing.

In order to benefit from this scheme, applicants are required to obtain an Indian passport, speak English and also meet specific education requirements, and show they have at least $5,000 in savings.

These are fairly reasonable requirements for young professionals or graduates looking for a global experience.

Australia’s Work and Holiday visa (Subclass 462) is created for young adults aged 18 to 30 who want to explore Australia while being engaged in short-term jobs to support themselves.

To benefit from this scheme, applications must be filed from outside this county, while no family members can be included as secondary applicants. At present, the cost of the visa is $650.

Australia’s Work and Holiday visa has been continuously increasing, attracting a larger number of international visitors. By the end of 2024, there were a total of 206,187  Work and Holiday visa holders in Australia, accounting for a notable increase compared to 170,437 registered in 2023.

The post Australia Receives Over 98,000 Work & Holiday Visa Applications From Indians appeared first on VisaGuide.News.

Syria has adjusted its visa fees for international visitors wanting to enter the country based on their nationality.

Announcing the news, the Syrian Ministry of Interior stressed that the new fees reflect diplomatic and bilateral relations, suggesting the system favors nationals of countries with which Libya has a better relationship, VisaGuide.World reports.

The statement of the Ministry said that passport holders of Lebanon, Jordan, Mauritania, and Malaysia do not need to pay the visa fee and are permitted to stay in the country for up to six months.

On the other hand, the visa fees have changed for nationals of other countries. Under the new rules, nationals of Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Yemen, and China need to pay a $40 visa fee, which is the lowest compared to that applied to other nationalities.

Nationals of Libya and Russia will now pay a $75 visa fee to enter Syria for short-term stays. On the other hand, passport holders of Bahrain, Somalia, and European Union countries need to pay a slightly higher fee compared to the nationalities mentioned above – $125.

Higher Fees for Other Nationalities

The fee is even higher for the rest of the classified countries. According to the Ministry, the visa fee for nationals of Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Türkiye, and Canada now stands at $150, Shafaq News explains.

In addition to the above-mentioned, the visa fee has also been adjusted for Iraq, UAE, UK, Australia, and New Zealand nationals, who now have a $250 visitor visa fee.

Lastly, the highest fee will apply to US passport holders. The Ministry explained that US nationals need to pay a $300 visa fee.

As for visitors who are from unclassified countries, they will pay a $100 fee for a 15-day visa or a $25 fee for a three-day transit visa.

Syria Launched Electronic Visa in 2024

In an attempt to attract more foreign visitors and make the visa application easier, the government of Syria launched the electronic visa in May of last year.

The electronic visas for entry to Syria have been available since May 1, 2024, with applicants being required to go to a Syrian embassy or consulate to obtain such a document.

Commenting on the matter, economic analyst Firas Shaabo said that the launch of the electronic visa will have a significant impact on the country’s economy, strengthening its treasury by generating more revenues in tourism.

The post Syria Updates Visa Fees for Foreign Visitors Based on Their Nationality appeared first on VisaGuide.News.