China continues to add new countries to its visa-free program

Over the past year, China has taken the unusual step of loosening rules for foreign visitors.

In a pilot program aimed at bringing in tourism dollars after the pandemic, the country launched a visa-free travel policy that allows citizens of 11 European countries, including France, Germany and Hungary, to spend up to 15 days in China without applying for a visa. visa in early 2024. The program has proven popular and Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Poland have finally been added to the list of approved passports you can hold to take advantage.

Related: China is visa-free for visitors from two other countries

The two countries most recently added to the program which was supposed to run for just six months – but has now been extended until the end of 2025 – are Greece and Slovenia.

These are the countries whose citizens can now also enter China without a visa

At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister Tanja Fajon announced that they had reached a mutual agreement to allow travel to China (since Slovenia is part of the visa-free Schengen Area ). travel between 29 European countries, granting something equivalent for Chinese citizens comes with greater complications).

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“We are building positive relations between Slovenia and China through various activities, especially through economic cooperation,” Fajon said in a statement about the change. “I also welcome the decision to remove visas for Slovenian citizens, which I have consistently supported in the past.”

Since the first visa-free travel entry was granted in early 2024, thousands of Europeans and other nationals have used it to take short trips to China – the ultimate goal for a country that has struggled to bring in tourist dollars after a series of of strict isolation measures during the 2020 covid-19 outbreak.

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American and want to visit China? There is more good news

Due to the history of strained relations between Beijing and Washington DC, US citizens are not included in the list of nations for which visa-free travel is accessible.

But even so, the Chinese government still took steps to make it easier for Americans (and Canadians) to enter the country. While previously they had to put together an extended visa application package showing proof of travel and accommodation booked before the visa was granted, they can now apply at a home embassy with just their work history and identification documents.

There is now also the “List of countries eligible for the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy”, where visitors from 53 countries, including the US, can visit selected cities such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, Shanghai and Guangdong visa-free for short stays of up to 144 hours.

The program is most commonly used by those coming to China on a cruise stop or transiting en route on a wider tour of Asia.

“Extending the short-term visa-free policy until the end of 2025 will undoubtedly increase confidence and enthusiasm for travel to China and help boost inbound tourism as well as help the industry prosper.” China Tourism Academy President Dai Bin told a local news service earlier this year.

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