China has decided to expand the scope of visa-free countries. Ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges, visits, or transit for no more than 30 days, announced by Mao Ning, the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry at a regular press conference on May 28.
The policy will take effect from June 9, 2025 to June 8, 2026. In addition to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which have had full mutual visa exemption with China since 2018, China has now achieved full visa-free coverage for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Period of visa-free stay was extended from the current 15 days to 30 days. From 30 November 2024, holders of ordinary passports from 47 visa-free countries, who come to China for doing business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, exchange visits and transit for no more than 30 days, could enter China without a visa.
* Frequently asked questions on visa-free entry into China
Q: Who does the visa waiver apply to?
A: Nationals of 47 countries including Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay holding valid ordinary passports can be exempted from visa requirement if entering into China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange and transit. They can stay in China for no more than 30 days without visa.
Q: Do foreign nationals eligible for a visa waiver need to make declarations to Chinese embassies and consulates in advance?
A: Foreign nationals eligible for a visa waiver do not need to declare in advance to Chinese embassies and consulates before entering China without a visa.
Q: Are there any requirements on the type and validity of entry documents?
A: For foreign nationals, an ordinary passport valid for at least the duration of intended stay in China is needed. Holders of travel documents or temporary or emergency documents other than ordinary passports are not allowed to enter into China without a visa.
Q: How to calculate the duration of stay of 30 days?
A: Foreign nationals eligible for a visa waiver may stay in China continuously without a visa from the date of entry to the 30th calendar day until 24:00.
Q: Does the visa waiver apply to foreign nationals who travel from a third country?
A: Eligible foreign nationals can depart for China from any country or region.
Q: If the length of intended stay exceeds 30 days, can the visa waiver be extended?
A: Foreign nationals planning to stay in China for over 30 days shall apply for visas corresponding to their purposes of stay in advance at Chinese embassies or consulates. If they have to stay longer than 30 days for appropriate and sufficient reasons after entering China without a visa, they shall apply for stay permits to the exit and entry administrations of public security authorities of China.
Q: Does the visa waiver apply to foreign nationals who travel by forms of transport other than aviation?
A: The visa waiver applies to all travelers coming to China through any sea, road and air port open to foreign nationals (except where laws, regulations and bilateral arrangements specify otherwise). For arrivals in China by private transport, certain procedures for entry and exit of means of transport shall be processed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations of China.
Q: Does the visa waiver apply to tour groups?
A: The visa waiver applies to eligible foreign nationals either in tour groups or as individuals.