Pakistan announces new visa policy for Chinese nationals

• Interior minister announces new work visa policy for Chinese nationals.
• Special desks will be set up at airports to facilitate Chinese citizens, says Sheikh Rasheed.
• Chinese nationals to be issued work visas within 48 hours from respective missions, confirms interior minister.

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed announced a new visa policy for Chinese nationals working in the CPEC projects, adding that they will be granted a work visa for a minimum time period of two years.

The minister stated this during his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong on Thursday. The two, as per a statement from the Ministry of Interior, discussed areas of mutual interest to Pakistan and China, the CPEC projects, bilateral relations between the two countries and visa facilitation for Chinese citizens.

The minister expressed happiness over the completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. On the occasion, Rasheed said the government has approved the new visa policy for Chinese citizens.

The minister explained that Chinese citizens would now be issued two-year work visas within 48 hours from the respective missions, adding that a separate visa category has been created for Chinese citizens related to CPEC projects.

He said that the government has ensured that special desks are set up to facilitate Chinese citizens at airports. 

Rong thanked the Pakistani government for taking steps to ease visa facilities for Chinese workers, adding that it would enable bilateral relations between the two countries to strengthen further and create more job opportunities and investment in Pakistan.

Rasheed thanked the Chinese government for providing coronavirus vaccines to Pakistan as Rong appreciated Pakistan's efforts to control the pandemic.