China will allow passport holders from Russia to enter the country without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, under a one-year trial running from 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2026, according to multiple media outlets.
The policy applies to business, tourism, family visits, exchange programmes, and transit, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun confirmed in Beijing on Tuesday.
Guo said the move aimed to further facilitate cross-border travel and deepen people-to-people exchanges, reflecting the “high level” of China-Russia relations.
[See more: China’s visa-free policy has successfully sparked a tourism surge]
“We welcome more Russian friends coming to China more often,” Guo said, adding that such exchanges contribute to advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Russians now join citizens from dozens of countries who have visa-free access to the mainland for periods of up to 30 days. Citizens of more than 50 countries, meanwhile, can transit through the mainland for up to 240 hours.
Earlier this year it was reported that Beijing’s post-pandemic roll-out of visa-free entry programmes had delivered a much-needed boost to inbound tourism and helped prop up the country’s sluggish economy.
