China Extends Visa-Free Entry To More Countries; Check List

Beijing: China has expanded its visa-free entry provisions to include four additional European countries. Following the introduction of visa-free entry for citizens from seven European nations and Malaysia in December and January, China has augmented the list with the inclusion of Austria, Belgium, Hungary, and Luxembourg. This move aims to boost business and tourism by encouraging more international visitors to explore the country.

Citizens from these newly added European countries, along with those from France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland, will now be permitted to enter China without the need for a visa. The initiative, announced in November, is part of China’s efforts to facilitate high-quality development in exchanges between Chinese and foreign individuals and enhance openness to the global community, as stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a briefing.

Under the trial program, visa-free entry will be granted for up to 15 days and will remain in effect for one year. Despite the lifting of strict pandemic measures and quarantine requirements for arrivals early last year, international travel to China has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Before the pandemic, China permitted visa-free entry for citizens of Brunei, Japan, and Singapore, but this was suspended after the COVID-19 outbreak. While visa-free entry was reinstated for Brunei and Singapore in July, it has not been extended to Japan. In 2023, China recorded 35.5 million entries and exits by foreigners, a significant decline from the 97.7 million recorded in 2019.