In a move aimed at strengthening ties with Latin America, China has announced a new visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from five major Latin American nations: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
The announcement was made on May 15 during the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum (China–Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), where Chinese representatives unveiled the pilot policy as part of broader efforts to promote exchange and cooperation with Latin American countries.
According to the official statement, starting from June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026, citizens of these five countries holding ordinary passports will be allowed to enter China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days.
The visa exemption applies to visits for purposes including business, tourism, visiting friends and family, cultural exchanges, or transit.
This marks a significant expansion of China’s visa-free policy landscape, which in recent months has already included several European and Asian countries as part of its campaign to boost inbound travel, trade, and people-to-people exchange.
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The move is also widely seen as a diplomatic gesture to deepen China’s economic and cultural ties with Latin America, a region where China’s influence has grown considerably in recent years through investments, infrastructure development, and trade partnerships.
For travelers from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, this policy means easier access to China without lengthy visa procedures or additional fees—potentially paving the way for more robust tourism and business exchanges.
More details regarding entry requirements, such as proof of onward travel or accommodation, have yet to be released.
As for travel connectivity, Brazilian travelers will find it relatively easy to connect with China, especially through direct flights from São Paulo (GRU) to Beijing (PEK).
Flight options from Argentina to China are more limited but still available with the most common route from Buenos Aires (EZE) to Shanghai (PVG).
For Chilean citizens, Santiago (SCL) provides indirect flights to Shanghai (PVG) with a layover—services from LATAM Airlines and China Eastern Airlines having a 34 hour plus travel time.
For Peruvian and Uruguayan travelers, direct flight options are limited, but there are indirect flights available, with one-way durations averaging 31 hours.
While direct flight options between China and these Latin American countries are currently limited, the new visa-free policy is expected to stimulate demand for travel and may encourage airlines to establish new routes to meet this demand.
Would you take advantage of the 30-day visa-free travel to China from Latin America?
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[Cover image by Billy Jiang/That's]
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