AustraIan visa changes

Question

Hi anyone across the visa changes for Australians. Do I just turn up at the border with my passport.

Answer

If you are an Australian planning to travel to China, you cannot simply turn up at the border with your passport and expect to enter. Australia is not part of any visa-free entry arrangement for China, so a valid visa is required before arrival.

Here are the details and options you should consider:

Tourist Visa (L Visa): Required for leisure travel. You must apply in advance at a Chinese embassy or consulate or through an approved visa service.
Business Visa (M Visa): Required if you are visiting for business purposes.
Transit Visa (G Visa): If you are only transiting through China for less than 24/72 hours (depending on the city), some airports offer transit without a visa. However, this applies only if you meet specific conditions, such as having confirmed onward tickets.
Visa on Arrival: China generally does not provide a visa on arrival for Australian citizens except in a few designated ports and under very limited circumstances, so it is not reliable for normal travel plans.

Other important points:

You need to apply for your visa well in advance; processing can take several days to a few weeks.
You will need to provide a completed application form, passport with at least 6 months validity, passport photos, travel itinerary, and sometimes proof of accommodation or flight bookings.
Border officials will check your visa upon arrival. Without it, you will not be allowed entry and will be sent back on your flight.

In short, do not plan to just show up at the border. Make sure you obtain the correct visa type before traveling to China to avoid denial of entry.