6 More European Countries Granted Visa-Free China Travel

By Billy Jiang, March 7, 2024

As the annual sessions of China's top legislative and political advisory bodies, known as the 'Two Sessions,' are currently underway in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on March 7 that China will further implement a visa-free policy for citizens of six European countries, starting from March 14.

They are as follows:

Switzerland
Ireland
Hungary
Austria
Belgium
Luxembourg

Under this new policy, citizens of these six countries holding ordinary passports will be allowed to enter China without the need to obtain a visa for a stay of up to 15 days.

This visa exemption covers various purposes, including business, tourism, family visits, and transit.

This announcement follows Premier Qiang's declaration in January, made during his attendance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, that China would unilaterally implement a visa-free policy for citizens of Switzerland and Ireland.

Moreover, beginning on December 1, 2023, citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain were granted visa-free entry into China.

With the addition of these six new countries in Europe, a total of 11 European countries are now included in China's visa-free travel list.

As China continues to expand its list of countries eligible for visa-free entry, many readers planning trips to the People's Republic of China have raised numerous queries regarding this policy.

In response to these questions, the Chinese National Immigration Administration has provided official clarifications on various aspects.

For answers to common questions about China's visa-free travel policy and more information on recent developments, please click the link below:

Have you recently entered China through a visa exemption policy? We welcome you to share your experiences with us.

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[Cover image by Billy Jiang/That's]