China Publishes List of Countries Eligible for Visa-Free Entry
- China's National Immigration Administration published an official list of 50 countries cleared for unilateral visa-free entry into mainland China
- Ordinary passport holders from eligible nations can stay in China for up to 30 days for tourism, business, transit, or family visits
- The list covers 35 European nations as well as countries from Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, including the UK, US, Canada, and Australia
China has officially published a list of 50 countries whose ordinary passport holders can enter the mainland without a visa, in a move aimed at boosting international tourism and easing business travel.
The National Immigration Administration, working in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released the updated list as part of Beijing's broader push to expand its unilateral visa exemption policy.
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Countries on China's visa-free list
Citizens from the following 50 countries qualify for China visa-free entry: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the Republic of Korea.
The list includes 35 European nations alongside select countries from Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, making it one of the broadest unilateral visa exemption arrangements China has implemented.
What the Chinese immigration policy allows
Under the terms of the exemption, qualifying travellers holding ordinary passports may enter China for purposes including tourism, business, visits to relatives and friends, exchange visits, or direct transit. The maximum permitted stay is 30 days per visit.
The immigration administration specified that the duration of stay is calculated from midnight on the day following the traveller's date of entry into China, a detail relevant to those planning trips close to the 30-day limit.
The policy applies strictly to ordinary passport holders.
Those travelling on diplomatic, official, or other categories of passport are subject to separate arrangements.
China's expanding visa exemption drive
The publication of the updated list marks a continued effort by Chinese authorities to lower barriers to entry for foreign nationals.
Beijing has progressively widened its visa-free access in recent years, citing the need to revitalise inbound tourism and strengthen trade and business connections following the disruptions of the pandemic era.
The announcement comes as several other countries have also moved to update and expand their own visa-free arrangements, reflecting a wider global trend towards greater travel accessibility between nations.
Canada publishes countries eligible for visa-free travel
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Canada had released its updated 2026 list of nationalities that can travel to the country without a standard visitor visa.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) categorises international travellers based on their country of origin and method of transport.
A limited group of travellers is exempt from both a traditional visitor visa and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).
Source: YEN.com.gh
