UAE, China exchange diplomatic notes on mutual visa exemption for holders of special and service passports

Holders of special and service passports issued by the UAE will be exempted from visa requirements to enter the People's Republic of China as of 11th January, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday. Ahmed Saeed Al Dhaheri, Assistant Under-Secretary for Consular Affairs, MoFA, announced the visa waiver after the ministries of foreign affairs in the UAE and China exchanged diplomatic notes regarding mutual visa exemption for holders of special and service passports issued by the UAE and service and public affairs passports issued by China. The visa waiver followed an amendment to the memorandum of understanding on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports issued by the UAE and China which was signed on 17th January 2012. Accordingly, holders of UAE diplomatic, special and service passports can enter China without the need for pre-entry visa as of 11th January, 2016, and stay in Chinese territories for up to 30 days. Al Dhaheri said this exemption underscores the growing relations between the two countries and gives a boost to joint co-operation in the future. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395290047903.html