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We’ve been going to China for thirty years and never have visas been so easy, with nationals from nearly all countries that fill our teams currently having visa-free entry for at least 30 days, some up to 90, and multiple entry, long visas for multiple years being easily obtained. 

This, combined with relaxations in the permit system and the near-total opening of Xinjiang, makes this the best time in history to climb big mountains on your own terms, and by history we mean the last 3000 years.

Climbers need only a valid passport from around 50 countries that include the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, Canada and most nationalities that climb with us, with no formalities other than the normal stamp through on arrival. The restricted areas that many high altitude objectives lay within still require internal access permits, but the visa-free entry stamp is good for all of them in nearly all incidences.

Multiple entries are fine, with a new visa-free entry issued each time, meaning extended serial trips can be done with only a quick stay outside China between. Visa-free entries apply on most borders including entering from Central Asia by land, though entering directly into Xizang may require other permits which we can arrange.

For Feeding the Rat Expeditions this is a huge development, resolving a major part of the process of getting teams into the highest and most remote mountains. This shifts China’s position as a climbing location and finally blows away any notion of the country being closed or difficult to get into, ranking it the same as most Asian countries and easier than many.

Note that as we no longer need to issue visa invitation documentation to most climbers, we have removed the cost from our price updates coming from April. Climbers from the few countries requiring documents and invitations will have this additional cost included in their expedition costing at the time of quoting.

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*Feeding the Rat Expeditions is not an agent for any governmental organization of any country. This information is provided only as a notification to our scene.

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