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Will China's 30-day visa-free policy be extended after 31 December 2026?
Updated 9 November 2026
For 48 of the 50 countries, the current notice ends on 31 December 2026. No extension has been announced yet. Here is what we know and what to do if you travel in 2027.
Status on 9 November 2026: no extension has been announced yet. We check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration daily and will update this page the moment a notice appears.
What ends on 31 December 2026
- 48 countries on the unilateral 30-day list — including France, Germany, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Saudi Arabia — are covered until 31 December 2026.
- Russia has already been extended to 31 December 2027.
- Brunei has no announced end date.
- Mutual visa-exemption agreements (e.g. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia), 240-hour transit and Hainan visa-free are separate and are not affected by this date.
What has happened before
The unilateral policy has been extended every year since it began in December 2023. Last year's extension, to the end of 2026, was announced in early November 2025, several weeks before the old end date.
If you're travelling in January 2027 or later
- Book refundable or flexible flights and hotels for now.
- If your passport is also on the 240-hour transit list, plan a route that continues to a third country — transit visa-free has no end date.
- If you can't wait, apply for a visa: how to apply.
- Use the checker with your arrival date — it will flag dates after the current end date.
Official sources: Ministry of Foreign Affairs FAQ via Chinese Consulate in San Francisco · Notice on extending the unilateral visa-free policy (Nov 2025)