China Visa Update — 21 June 2026

visa • 21 June 2026

China has continued to **expand visa-free access for tourists in 2026**, with a widely used visa-free entry policy for eligible foreign nationals allowing stays of up to **30 days** for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges and transit. According to the China visa-free entry explainer from Meet in Shanghai, the policy for nationals of the remaining eligible countries is valid until **31 December 2026**, while Russian passport holders have a separate validity period through **31 December 2027**.[2] For Australian travellers planning a China trip, the most practical update is that China’s short-stay visa-free options remain broad, but they are still limited to specific nationalities and passport types. Meet in Shanghai says eligible visitors must hold a valid ordinary passport, can enter multiple times, and should apply for a regular visa in advance if they plan to stay **longer than 30 days**.[2] If you are looking at the wider regional picture, China Daily reports that neighbouring destinations are also easing access for Chinese travellers, including Cambodia’s four-month visa-free trial for Chinese passport holders from **15 June to 15 October 2026**.[3] That kind of regional competition helps explain why China has kept its own inbound visa settings relatively traveller-friendly through 2026.[1][2]

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