China has approved a one-year visa exemption for holders of Russian passports as part of measures to further facilitate cross-border travel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday.
The visa waiver programme is a trial and will take effect from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026. The maximum stay per individual is 30 days.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, noted that ordinary passport holders from Russia can enter China for business, tourism, visiting family and friends, exchange, and transit purposes.
The official stated that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China-Russia intergovernmental and public relations have been moving forward at a high level.
According to Jiakun, the ease in cross-border movement seeks to strengthen exchanges and “make positive contributions to promoting the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era.”
China currently offers visa-free travel to citizens holding ordinary passports from 47 nations. Beneficiaries can enjoy a 30-day stay, a policy in effect for most nations until December 31, 2025, and separate months in 2026.
The countries include Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Greece, and Norway.
Others are Japan, Peru, Uruguay, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Oman, Kuwait, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Slovenia, Switzerland, Slovakia, and the Netherlands.
