China’s Visa-Free Policies: Latest Updates

source：Echoteachers time：2026-02-25 14:47:50 read:136

UPDATE (February 15, 2026): A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that citizens of Canada and the UK will be able to enter China visa-free for up to 30 days starting February 17, with the policy currently in place until end of the year. This brings the total number of countries eligible for the unilateral visa-free entry policy to 50. The expansion of the policy to these two countries was announced during visits from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to China in January.

UPDATE (January 20, 2026): On January 16, 2026, it was reported that China will soon grant visa‑free entry to Canadian citizens, following a meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Once implemented, Canadians will be able to enter China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, although no specific start date has been announced.

UPDATE (November 4, 2025): China has announced the extension of its unilateral visa-free entry policy for citizens of 45 countries until December 31, 2026, as part of its continued efforts to boost inbound travel and international engagement. The policy allows ordinary passport holders from participating countries to enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, visiting relatives, or transit. The updated arrangement, effective November 10, 2025, also adds Sweden to the list, joining most EU member states, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, and several Latin American countries. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the decision underscores China’s intention to sustain momentum in post-pandemic travel recovery, promote people-to-people exchanges, and enhance business connectivity.

Moreover, China has announced that it will expand its 240-hour visa-free transit policy to more ports. The newly added ports include Guangzhou, Zhuhai’s Hengqin and Zhongshan, as well as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, raising the total number of ports eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit from 60 to 65 around China.

The extension comes amid a notable rebound in China’s inbound travel sector, which recorded over 23 million foreign entries in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of nearly 130 percent, according to data from the National Immigration Administration. Analysts note that the policy has been instrumental in revitalizing tourism revenues and improving China’s global image as an open and accessible destination. Extending the policy through 2026 provides long-term certainty for airlines, travel agencies, and investors, while aligning with China’s broader economic diplomacy strategy to foster trade, tourism, and cultural links amid shifting global mobility trends.

UPDATE (September 2, 2025): Following a meeting between Chinese and Russian leaders on September 2, 2025, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Russian citizens holding ordinary passports will be eligible for visa-free entry into China from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026. Under this trial policy, Russian nationals can enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism and sightseeing, visiting family or friends, cultural or academic exchanges, and transit. The maximum stay allowed is 30 days, and travelers must not exceed this duration. This move is part of China’s broader effort to facilitate international exchanges and optimize entry policies.