China Extends Visa-Free Entry to 30 Days Through 2026

(CHINA) China has extended its unilateral visa-free entry program for short trips by citizens of more than 40 countries through December 31, 2026, widening a policy it says is designed to lift inbound travel and business. The extension, announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on November 4, 2025, means eligible travelers with ordinary passports can continue to enter without a visa for up to 30 days per visit for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, and transit. Sweden will be added to the list from November 10, 2025, further expanding the scheme across Europe.

“China will extend its unilateral visa-exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries to December 31, 2026. The country has also decided to include Sweden in the visa-free scheme effective from November 10, 2025 to December 31, 2026,” Mao said.

Her statement sets out a clear commitment that the policy first rolled out and then broadened over the past two years will remain in place for another full year, giving airlines, travel firms, and investors planning certainty.

Under the extension, visa-free entry remains capped at 30 days per trip and is limited to ordinary passport holders from the listed countries. China describes the measure as practical support for travel, trade, and cultural links, with officials arguing that easing short-stay access helps reboot demand in aviation, hospitality, and conferences. It also lowers friction for family reunions and academic exchanges, which were slow to recover after prolonged pandemic-era controls.

The countries covered include most members of the European Union and several non-EU states in Europe. The list names France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. It also includes Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra, and, from November 10, 2025, Sweden. In Asia-Pacific, the policy covers Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain are included. In the Americas, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay are eligible following an earlier expansion that took effect on June 1, 2025.

Chinese authorities say the relief measures are aimed at people making short visits for permitted purposes, not those who intend to work or study. Travelers who plan to stay longer than 30 days, or who want to take up employment, enroll in degree programs, or conduct journalism, must apply for the appropriate visa in advance. The government has stressed that the waiver is unilateral and does not apply to all countries, meaning people should confirm their nationality’s eligibility before booking tickets.

The timing reflects Beijing’s push to support a broader rebound in inbound travel. According to the National Immigration Administration, China recorded more than 23 million foreign entries in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year rise of nearly 130 percent. Officials and industry groups have pointed to that surge as evidence that simpler entry rules are drawing back business delegations, tour groups, and people visiting family across borders. Keeping visa-free entry in place through December 31, 2026 signals that China expects demand to strengthen further and is willing to keep the door open to sustain it.

For European carriers and travel agencies, the extension removes uncertainty over short-stay trips that underpin conference schedules and sales visits. Companies in sectors from auto parts to medical devices have relied on frequent, rapid travel to Chinese manufacturing hubs, and a 30-day window covers most itineraries of that kind. For leisure travelers, it allows flexible planning for city breaks to Shanghai or Beijing, longer tours across provinces, or visits timed to festivals, without the added cost and time of applying for a visa. The policy’s reach into the Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe, and the addition of Sweden from November 10, 2025, also broadens the pool of potential visitors as airlines consider routes for 2026.

In the Asia-Pacific region, visa-free entry for 30 days supports tight business cycles with South Korea and Japan, and complements existing arrangements with Singapore and Malaysia that have helped restore tourist flows. Australia and New Zealand’s inclusion makes it easier for trade missions and family visits that often combine meetings in coastal cities with holiday travel to inland provinces. The continued waiver for Brunei and long-standing partners in Southeast Asia fits with a pattern of targeted steps to ease mobility for near neighbors and key commercial partners.

In the Gulf and wider Middle East, the policy aligns with recent growth in flight capacity and investment ties. United Arab Emirates passport holders have used visa-free entry to time short visits around trade fairs and procurement, while travelers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain have combined tourism itineraries with meetings in free-trade zones and logistics hubs. For Latin America, the June 2025 expansion to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay marked a notable opening; maintaining it through December 31, 2026 gives more time for airlines and tour operators to firm up routes and packages suited to 30-day stays.

Chinese officials have framed the move as part of a wider effort to make the country easier to visit. Airlines and tour companies say that even a small reduction in paperwork can tilt decisions toward booking, especially for first-time travelers or families coordinating multi-stop trips. The unilateral nature of the policy means China is acting without requiring reciprocal waivers, a choice that allows it to adjust its list and timing based on inbound targets and logistical capacity.

The Foreign Ministry’s statement also underscores that the scope is specific: it covers entry for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, and transit, and it is restricted to holders of ordinary passports from the listed nations. That specificity is meant to reduce confusion at check-in and border control and to make it clear when a visa is still required. Travelers who intend to work, study, or report as journalists must apply for the correct visa before arrival, a rule that airlines have been reminding passengers about during ticket purchase and online check-in.

The extension through December 31, 2026 offers a defined horizon long enough for universities to schedule short-term exchanges and for exhibition organizers to lock in international exhibitor lists. Conference planners, who often set agendas a year out, say that 30-day visa-free entry simplifies attendance for European and Asian speakers who would otherwise factor in processing times and consular appointments. Tourism boards expect the winter and spring peaks to benefit, with itineraries that fit comfortably within the 30-day limit and allow side trips across several provinces.

The addition of Sweden from November 10, 2025 fills one of the remaining gaps in Northern Europe. For Swedish companies with supply chains in China, the change makes it quicker to schedule factory visits and audits. For families with ties across continents, it trims weeks off planning, letting them set travel within the 30-day limit to cover both personal visits and sightseeing. The government’s timeline also provides a clear endpoint, which gives space for mid-2026 reviews if officials decide to keep, expand, or adjust the scheme.

Not every country is covered, and the government has urged travelers to check eligibility before making plans. Airlines and online travel agencies have updated their systems to flag the 30-day limit and to indicate that people who need longer stays or different activities must obtain a visa before departure. The policy is unilateral, so the list can change; people are advised to consult the latest notices from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China or consular posts in their home country. For official updates and the current roster of eligible nationalities, travelers can refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

China’s National Immigration Administration reported the sharp rise in foreign entries in early 2025 as consular services reopened fully and flight capacity improved. The government hopes that making it easier to visit for 30 days will reinforce that momentum. With events like trade expos, sports tournaments, and cultural festivals scheduled through 2026, the extended window gives organizers confidence to market to audiences across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

For now, the rules are straightforward: visa-free entry for eligible ordinary passport holders for up to 30 days per visit; permitted purposes include business, tourism, family or friend visits, exchanges, and transit; and the policy runs through December 31, 2026. Sweden’s inclusion from November 10, 2025 expands the European coverage, while earlier additions on June 1, 2025 brought in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. Anyone planning stays longer than 30 days, or trips for work, study, or journalism, still needs to apply for the correct visa in advance. As travel recovers and airlines add capacity, the extended policy signals that China aims to keep short-stay doors open a little longer.