China Releases 50-Country Visa-Free List With No African Nation Included

• China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an updated visa-free entry list covering nationals from 50 countries as of February 17, 2026
• The 30-day visa-free policy covers travellers arriving for business, tourism, family visits, and transit purposes
• Not a single African country made the list, meaning Ghanaians, Nigerians, Kenyans and others must still apply through embassies

China has officially confirmed that no African country features on its updated list of 50 nations whose citizens can enter without a visa, leaving the entire continent outside the policy's reach.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China published the list, which took effect on February 17, 2026. Under the policy, ordinary passport holders from qualifying countries are entitled to stay in China for up to 30 days per visit, with the duration calculated from midnight on the day after arrival.

Which countries made China's 30-day visa-free list

The exemption covers arrivals for business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange programmes, and transit. The 50 qualifying countries span Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and the Americas.

Read also

China releases full list of 55 countries eligible for 240-Hour visa-free transit

1. Andorra
2. Argentina
3. Australia
4. Austria
5. Bahrain
6. Belgium
7. Brazil
8. Brunei Darussalam
9. Bulgaria
10. Canada
11. Chile
12. Croatia
13. Cyprus
14. Denmark
15. Estonia
16. Finland
17. France
18. Germany
19. Greece
20. Hungary
21. Iceland
22. Ireland
23. Italy
24. Japan
25. Kuwait
26. Latvia
27. Liechtenstein
28. Luxembourg
29. Malta
30. Monaco
31. Montenegro
32. Netherlands
33. New Zealand
34. North Macedonia
35. Norway
36. Oman
37. Peru
38. Poland
39. Portugal
40. Romania
41. Russia
42. Saudi Arabia
43. Slovakia
44. Slovenia
45. South Korea
46. Spain
47. Sweden
48. Switzerland
49. United Kingdom
50. Uruguay

No African country made China's visa-free list

Despite spanning four regions of the world, the official document makes no mention of any African nation. Citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, and every other African country remain outside the scope of China's unilateral visa exemption programme.

Travellers from across the continent must therefore continue to obtain visas through standard application processes at Chinese embassies and consulates before making any trip to China.

China has also separately published a list of 55 countries whose nationals are eligible for a 240-hour visa-free transit arrangement, which operates under different conditions from the 30-day entry policy.

Source: YEN.com.gh