A new two-year visit visa for Chinese nationals was launched on Monday 11th January.
The new visa will enable Chinese visitors to make multiple trips to the UK for a longer period, and will provide them with a better deal than the standard Schengen visitor visa, which is limited to 90 days maximum.
British visitors to China will benefit from the same visa arrangement, with the Chinese government reducing its two-year visitor visa fee to the equivalent of £85 and, for the first time, matching the UK’s offer of a 10-year visitor visa.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: “The number of Chinese visitors to the UK is rising year on year and this visa will allow Chinese visitors to further take advantage of the opportunities the UK has to offer for both tourism and business purposes.”
The new visa will cost £85, the same as the existing six month visitor visa.