The Chinese embassy in Vilnius has notified the Lithuanian authorities that the issuing of visas to nationals of Lithuania has been temporarily suspended. Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, acknowledged the news while highlighting that no further information on the rationale for China’s decision has been provided.

Lithuania is unaware of the parameters determining China’s decision because it has not been informed of the length of the visa restriction. China had previously stopped issuing visas to Lithuanians for technical reasons; however, Lithuania later connected the suspension to their decision to create the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

This is not the first time China has done this. It happened on November 21.Lithuanian nationals will not be allowed to apply for visas during the suspension, which will keep them from traveling to China without the necessary paperwork.China, however, has adopted a distinct stance for the nationals of a few other EU/Schengen Area nations.

China eliminated the need for a visa for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain on December 1, 2023. Since then, residents of these nations are exempt from the need to apply for a visa in order to enter China for stays of up to 15 days.China is also thinking about allowing foreign nationals admission without a visa.

There are intentions to make travel from Switzerland and Ireland easier, according to recent pronouncements. It is predicted that individuals of these nations may soon be allowed admission into China without a final determination, though this is still pending.