Chinese โฃNationals selling Used Entryโค Cards Online, sparking Outrage and Questions About โฃVisa Access
Taipei, Taiwan – August 25, 2025 โค – A surprising trend has emerged online: Chinese nationals โคare โขreportedly sellingโ used entry cards forโ South Korea โขand โขJapan, prompting both โamusementโ andโข concern regarding visa accessibility and entrepreneurial practices. The practice,documented in a reportโ byโฃ Mirror โWeekly,highlights a novel,if ethically questionable,approach to โsmall-scale commerce.
The โขphenomenon came to light after reports surfaced of individuals offering stacks of previously used Chinese entry cards โfor sale online. Theseโ cards, typically obtained after travel to South Korea’s Jeju โIsland or mainland Korea, are being marketed for as little as 48-55โ RMB (approximately NT$203-233) for multiple cards with freeโ shipping. Similar listings forโ Japaneseโ entry cards have also been identified.
The motivation behindโข theโค purchases remains largely speculative, but online โcommentary suggests โsome buyers intend to โขuse the cards as props for social media, creating โคthe illusion of international travel. โ”Some people โฃwill buy this entry card and sendโค it to social โmedia to pretend they are going to south โฃKoreaโฆ Many children will buy it,” one netizen reportedly commented. Others questioned the value proposition, suggesting saving money for actual travel would be more practical. “Just take a plane, but rather of spendingโ money to buy a fake one, it is indeed better to save some money toโข seeโ it,” one commenter stated.
The practice also underscores the difficulties manyโ Chinese citizens faceโฃ in obtaining visas for international travel. “Not every Chinese can successfully apply for a visa,” a commenter pointed out, highlighting the potential demand fueled by limited access.
While some initially doubtedโ the veracity of theโฃ reports, โsearches confirmed the existenceโ of these online marketplaces. Listings for 10 Jeju Island entry โคcards wereโฃ foundโข for โ55 RMB, and 8 Korean entryโ cards for โค48 RMB.
Theโ unusual business venture has โขelicited a range of reactions online, with some expressing disbelief. Comments translated โคfrom Chinese included, “Hahahaha, is the old Chineseโ so outrageous?” โขand “Provided that โyou get it for free,โค youโ will makeโค a โprofit.” โ Others questioned the ethical implications, with one user asking, “Is [someone] โขtreatingโ the entry card โขas a โขpermanentโข residence permit?” and another reflecting, “Every time I see this, I don’t know if Iโ should reflect on whether I have โคno business acumen or the bottom โline isโฃ too high.”
Context: โคChina’s Evolving Travel Landscape & โVisa Restrictions
This incident occurs withinโค a broader context of evolving โคtravelโ dynamics for Chinese citizens. While โคChina has โขseen a meaningful increase in outbound tourism in recent decades, obtaining visas for certain destinations remains challenging. โ visa restrictions, particularly for younger citizens, haveโ been โtightened โขin recent years,โข ostensibly to curb capital flight โand unauthorized emigration. This has led to a thrivingโ gray market for visa assistance โฃand, now, seemingly, used entryโ cards.
Jeju Island, aโฃ popular tourist destination for Chinese travelers, offers โฃa visa-free entry program for โคshort-term stays. This program, while intendedโข to boost tourism, has inadvertently createdโ a โsupplyโข ofโข used entry cards โฃthat are now being exploited for commercial gain.
Theโข sale of these cards raises questions about the potential for fraud and the effectiveness of border control measures.โข Whileโฃ the cards themselves do not grant entry into a country, thier use in deceptive practices could undermine trust in travel documentation.
Further โdetails can be foundโค at:
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