The Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS), a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) online system to facilitate travel from Chinese nationals to the United States, went live on November 29, 2016. All individuals carrying the maximum validity tourist visa (10-year visa) will be required to have a completed EVUS enrollment to be admitted into the United States. Currently, no fee will be collected for an EVUS enrollment. CBP anticipates an EVUS enrollment fee will eventually be implemented, but there is no current time frame for when such a fee will be imposed.
Brand USA is working closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to communicate official EVUS information to consumers. CBP officials joined Brand USA at the China International Travel Mart (CITM), the largest professional travel mart in Asia, to communicate EVUS requirements to travel-trade in China. Additionally, EVUS information has been widely distributed throughout China through “Travel Weekly China” newsletter e-blasts and Brand USA’s digital and social presence in the market.
EVUS resulted from the December 2014 agreement between the United States and China to extend visa validity for most business and leisure travelers from one year to 10 years and for students from one year to five years. Since the extension of the visa validity period, the U.S. Department of State reports that the number of Chinese citizens holding a valid U.S. visa has increased from approximately one million to four million, with an additional 1.5 million new U.S. visas issued in China every year.
For information on EVUS, please visit https://www.evus.gov/evus/#/.