Visa-free travel to China got extended through 2026

Hey everyone 👋

Good news if you're planning China for 2026: the visa-free policy that was supposed to expire at the end of 2025 just got extended through December 31, 2026.

What's new:

Sweden got added to the list (effective Nov 10). That brings it to 46 countries total.

Who's included: Most of Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, and 27 others), Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, plus select countries in South America and the Middle East.

Important - different expiration dates for some:

Most countries: Dec 31, 2026

Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay: May 31, 2026

Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain: June 8, 2026

Russia: Sept 14, 2026

Still NOT included: USA, Canada, UK, India (but these qualify for 10-day visa-free transit if passing through to a third country).

Requirements: Ordinary passport valid 6+ months, confirmed exit ticket within 30 days, tourism/business only (no work or study). This basically means you can plan 2026 trips without the visa hassle. Saves $150-200 in fees plus all the embassy paperwork.

Check if your country qualifies:

https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147463/c183390/content.html (National Immigration Administration - has all countries in one page)

For anyone planning trips, we keep everything updated at realchinaguide.com (visa policies, payments, trains, hotels, etc.). These changes happen pretty regularly, so having current info helps.

Safe travels! 🇨🇳