China’s visa-free policies expands to 9 added countries – new

China visa-free travel policies currently available to 9 added countries, it means that citizens holding ordinary passports from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan will qualify for China’s unilateral visa-free entry program due to promote international travel, boost consumption and facilitate inbound tourism.

China began piloting and expanding its unilateral visa-free entry policy to include more countries, these updated policies will remain in effect until December 31, 2025. Look at this recent article from China-briefing

On November 22, 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China announced that the country’s unilateral visa-free entry policy will be expanded to include nine more countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan. Effective November 30, 2024, citizens holding ordinary passports from these nine countries will qualify for China’s unilateral visa-free entry program.

In addition, China will enhance its unilateral visa-free policies by including exchange visits as a valid reason for entry and extending the visa-free stay duration from the current 15 days to 30 days. These updated policies will apply to all countries eligible for China’s unilateral visa-free entry and will generally remain in effect until December 31, 2025.

Starting from November 30, 2024, there will be a total of 38 countries enjoying unilateral visa-free entry policy to China.

Starting November 30, 2024, citizens holding ordinary passports from these 38 listed countries can enjoy a 30-day unilateral visa-free stay in China for purposes such as business, tourism, family and friend visits, exchanges, and transit.

This policy will remain in effect for most countries until December 31, 2025, with the possibility of further extensions subject to official announcements.

The 38 countries eligible for China’s unilateral visa-free entry policy can be roughly categorized as below: See more from China-briefing here.

• Asia (4 countries): Brunei, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan
• Western Europe (10 countries): France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Austria
• Eastern Europe and Baltics(10 countries): Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, and Latvia
• Southern Europe (5 countries): Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Malta
• Northern Europe (4 countries): Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland
• Microstates in Europe (3 countries): Andorra, Monaco, and Liechtenstein
• Oceania (2 countries): New Zealand and Australia

Interesting to see that today’s China is more opening up in most sectors, international tourism are well welcome to visit China on a short-term basis. Practically, China offers multiple visa-free travel policies to foreigners to promote international travel further.

We can predict that in the coming years, China will continue to boost consumption and facilitate inbound tourism, to give convenes for foreign visitors, particularly for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting relatives and friends, or transiting to a third country.

Moreover, China will enhance its unilateral visa-free policies by including exchange visits as a valid reason for entry and extending the visa-free stay duration from the current 15 days to 30 days.