China Visa-Free Entry: The 30-Day Policy for 50 Countries Until 31 December 2026

China's unilateral visa-free policy began in December 2023 with six European countries and has grown, extension by extension, to 50 countries. The current list was published by the National Immigration Administration on 17 February 2026, the day the United Kingdom and Canada joined, and the policy is in force until 24:00 Beijing time on 31 December 2026.

What it allows: Holders of ordinary passports from the listed countries may enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchange visits or transit, and stay for up to 30 days per entry. The embassy FAQ of 16 February 2026 adds that sports competitions, conferences, exhibitions and study tours count as exchanges. There is no restriction on the number of entries and no cap on total days in a year.

How the 30 days are counted: From 00:00 on the day after entry, for 30 calendar days. A traveller who lands on 1 October may stay until 31 October. The stay cannot be extended inside China; someone who needs longer applies for a visa before travelling.

The 50 countries: - Europe (35): Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom - Oceania (2): Australia and New Zealand - Asia (7): Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and South Korea - Americas (6): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru and Uruguay

Expiry dates: The embassy notice of 1 December 2025 extended the policy for 45 of these countries to 31 December 2026, with Sweden added from 10 November 2025 to the same date, and the notice of 15 February 2026 added the United Kingdom and Canada from 17 February 2026 to the same date. Russia is the exception: its exemption began as a one-year trial on 15 September 2025 and was extended on 20 May 2026 to 31 December 2027.

Treaty exemptions that do not expire: Separately from the unilateral policy, the NIA lists mutual visa exemption agreements covering ordinary passports. Thailand (since 1 March 2024), Singapore (since 9 February 2024), the United Arab Emirates (since 16 January 2018), Qatar, Ecuador, Suriname, Barbados, Dominica, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Antigua and Barbuda each give 30 days per entry; Thailand, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Antigua and Barbuda add a cap of 90 days in any 180-day period. Malaysia moved from the unilateral list to a treaty on 17 July 2025, with 30 days per entry and 90 days in any 180.

What it does not cover: Work, study, journalism and any activity that needs prior approval still require the appropriate visa. Holders of temporary or emergency travel documents are excluded. So is anyone whose purpose falls outside the list, and border officers can refuse entry to someone who cannot show a purpose. Hong Kong and Macao have their own rules; the mainland waiver does not apply there.

Who is not on the list: The United States, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Türkiye, Mexico, Colombia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Several of these are on the 240-hour transit list instead.