Mainland China: More Nationals Eligible for Visa Exemption; Expanded Rights Under Exemption

China continues to expand its visa-exemption program, offering temporary and long-term visa-free entry to travelers from an increasing number of countries. As a brief summary, the current visa-exempt arrangements are as follows:

• Visa-exempt for up to 30 days (under a temporary policy in effect until December 31, 2027): Russia
• Visa-exempt for up to 30 days (under a temporary policy in effect until December 31, 2026): Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada (as of February 17, 2026), 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, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (as of February 17, 2026), Uruguay. 
• Visa-exempt for up to 30 days: Brunei, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Maldives, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Tonga, United Arab Emirates
• Visa-exempt for up to 30 days, with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days in a 180-day period: Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Malaysia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Thailand, Uzbekistan  
• Visa-exempt for up to 60 days: Mauritius
• Visa-exempt for up to 90 days: San Marino
• Visa-exempt entry permitted for a cumulative stay of up to 90 days in a 180-day period: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Fragomen in China is Fragomen (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm in China. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].