In a recent move, China has granted visa-free entry to 50 countries, including the citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning affirmed that visitors from these foreign nations will be able to enjoy visa-free access to the East Asian country starting Tuesday, February 17, on the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year.

Are India and Pakistan on the list?

The decision follows diplomatic talks in Beijing and agreements reached between national leaders to streamline cross-border travel.  Most citizens from European nations and other selected countries are eligible for visa-free entry to China. The list also includes countries from Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. However, India and Pakistan are not excluded from this facility.

List of countries with visa-free entry

The list of countries with visa-free entry to China includes Hungary, France, Brunei, Germany, New Zealand, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Poland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Greece, Australia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Portugal, South Korea, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Andorra, Romania, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, Croatia, Malta, North Macedonia, Latvia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Estonia, Russia, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sweden, Britain, and Canada.

“China’s door is opening wider to the world”

In a post on X, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning announced, “Starting from the 2026 Spring Festival, visitors from 50 countries can enjoy visa-free access to China. China’s door is opening wider to the world.”

What’s behind the move?

The visa-free entry is a part of Beijing’s New Open Travel Plan to attract tourists from across the world and build stronger international ties. The latest move aims to boost tourism, which was affected after the COVID-19 pandemic.