China: visa waiver policy extended to 30 days

Starting November 30, 2024, the duration of visa-free stays in China will extend from 15 to 30 days, and nine new countries will be added to the list of nations benefiting from the unilateral visa exemption policy.

Good news for travelers from Spain, Andorra, and other countries benefiting from the unilateral visa exemption policy implemented by China: starting November 30, 2024, visa-free stays in China will be extended to 30 days, instead of the current 15 days.

This decision was announced today by Chinese diplomacy, which will also expand the list of countries eligible for this entry facilitation to 38 nations and add exchange visits (type “F”) as an authorized reason for visa-free stays.

“In order to further facilitate exchanges between China and foreign countries, China has decided to expand the scope of visa-exempt countries. Thus, from November 30, 2024, to December 31, 2025, it will implement an experimental visa exemption policy for holders of ordinary passports from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan,” stated the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chinese diplomacy adds that the country “has also decided to optimize its entry policy by including exchange visits as a visa-exempt purpose and extending the visa-free stay period from the current 15 days to 30 days.”

The 38 countries eligible for the visa exemption policy in China

In December 2023, China introduced an experimental and unprecedented visa exemption measure for travelers from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Tourists and business travelers from these six countries could stay in China for up to 15 days without a visa.

As months have passed, China has added several countries to this list of nations that can benefit from the visa exemption policy.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Japan, which has already made today’s announcement official, travelers who do not meet the conditions for visa exemption must apply for a visa before entering China.

In the third quarter of 2024, China received 8.19 million foreign visitors, a 48.8% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Of these travelers, 4.89 million entered China under the visa exemption regime, marking a year-on-year increase of 78.6%.

Starting November 30, citizens of the following 38 countries and territories will be able to enjoy a 30-day visa-free stay in China: