China has broadened its visa-free entry program, now permitting citizens from seven additional countries to stay for up to 30 days without requiring a visa.
As part of efforts to boost inbound tourism and revitalize the economy, the initiative has led to a notable surge in foreign visitors. Since late 2023, Beijing has gradually widened its visa-free policy, now allowing travelers from much of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to stay for up to 30 days without a visa.
According to the Associated Press, over 20 million visitors entered China without a visa in 2024—more than twice the number recorded the previous year and making up nearly one-third of all international arrivals.
China introduced visa-free entry in December 2023 for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Since then, nearly all European nations have been added to the list. More recently, travelers from five Latin American nations and Uzbekistan became eligible, followed by the inclusion of four Middle Eastern countries. With Azerbaijan joining on July 16, the total number of visa-exempt countries will rise to 75.
Despite Africa’s generally strong relationship with China, no African nation currently qualifies for visa-free travel to the country.
Travelers from 10 countries excluded from China’s visa-free list, including the U.S., UK, Canada, Sweden, and Russia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Ukraine, Indonesia and Mexico can still enter the country for up to 10 days under a transit policy, provided they depart to a different destination than the one they arrived from. This option is available at 60 designated entry ports and applies to 55 countries, most of which already benefit from 30-day visa exemptions. Notably, Sweden joins the UK as one of the few high-income European nations not granted 30-day access.
Shanghai, one of China’s premier international hubs, recorded 2.6 million overseas visits in the first half of 2025, a 44.8% increase compared to the same period last year. More than half of those travelers entered the city under visa-free arrangements, according to local officials.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, Pudong International Airport had the highest number of foreign arrivals nationwide, with 2.37 million visitors. In Beijing, 840,000 of the 1.49 million inbound entries were visa-free, while Chengdu experienced a dramatic 120% increase in visa-free arrivals.
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