China Visa Update — 4 July 2026

visa • 4 July 2026

China has significantly expanded visa-free access for tourists in 2026, with **Australian passport holders** now eligible for **visa-free stays of up to 30 days** and citizens from **55 eligible countries** able to use an extended **240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit** scheme when travelling to a third country [1][3]. The 30-day visa-free policy for Australians (and other eligible nationals like UK citizens) is officially effective from **17 February to 31 December 2026** (Beijing time), allowing travellers to explore major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou without a visa [1][3]. For those transiting through China, the visa-free transit window has been extended from the previous 72/144 hours to **240 hours**, with **21 new entry ports** added across **24 provinces**, making short visits and multi-city trips much easier for international tourists [1][6]. This expansion is driving a noticeable boom in foreign visitors, with visa-free arrivals up **14.7%** in the summer compared to 2025, as travellers take advantage of looser rules to venture beyond traditional hotspots into lesser-known regions [3]. The policy reflects China’s effort to make travel more accessible, with state-run news agency Xinhua reporting that foreign trips to and from China rose **12.5%** during the Labour Day holiday in May, largely fueled by these visa-free dividends [3].

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