China Grants Visa-Free Entry to Citizens of 74 Countries
Expanding China’s visa-free policy is not only a step toward boosting tourism but also a move toward a more open economic model
On July 7, 2025, the Chinese government approved visa-free entry for citizens of 74 countries from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America for a period of up to 30 days. This development is part of China's broader strategy to attract foreign tourists following the easing of strict COVID-related lockdowns in 2023, which had been implemented under the “Zero-COVID” policy.
The introduction of the visa-free policy has already led to a significant increase in entries: in 2024, over 1 million foreigners entered China without a visa — double the number from the previous year, making up almost one-third of all international arrivals.
List of Visa-Free Countries
Europe:
France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland, Slovakia, Monaco, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden, Ukraine — some with limited (transit) stay duration.
Asia and the Middle East:
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.
Latin America:
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay.
Expected Expansion:
Azerbaijan is set to join the list on July 16, 2025, bringing the total number of eligible countries to 75.
Additionally, some European and other countries may benefit from a 10-day visa-free transit stay.
Objectives and Impact
Reviving Tourism:
In 2023, China received 13.8 million foreign tourists, compared to 31.9 million in 2019. The return of more than 20 million travelers via visa-free access is expected to strongly boost the tourism sector.
Political and Diplomatic Goals:
This decision also reflects China’s commitment to diplomatic engagement and the strengthening of its “soft power” through cultural and tourism exchanges.
Economic Benefits:
Jenny Zhao, director of the travel company WildChina, noted that the travel sector has not only recovered but surpassed pre-pandemic levels. The travel platform Trip.com reported that bookings in the first quarter of 2025 doubled compared to the same period last year.
Visa-Free Transit Policy
Citizens of 55 countries passing through 60 Chinese airports can stay in China for up to 10 days (240 hours) without a visa.
This includes nationals of the USA, Canada, the UK, Ukraine, Russia, Indonesia, and more than 10 other countries.
