China Visa Update — 5 October 2026

visa • 5 October 2026

China’s **visa policy for tourists in 2026** remains broadly more open, with **unilateral visa-free entry for 50 countries** and **mutual visa exemption agreements with 29 others** now in place, according to China Daily. China Daily also says the country is offering visa-free entry to citizens of around **80 countries** in total, reflecting the wider reach of its current entry policies.[2] For travellers, the most useful practical update is that China’s **30-day unilateral visa-free scheme** has been extended through **31 December 2026** for most eligible countries, while **Russia** has a separate extension to **31 December 2027** and **Brunei** has an open-ended arrangement, according to China visa policy trackers and travel sources citing the current rules.[4][5] The **240-hour visa-free transit** policy is also still available, covering **57 countries** and allowing eligible visitors to stay for up to **10 days** in approved areas when transiting to a third country or region.[9][3] China’s inbound tourism data show the policy is having a strong effect: visa-free entries topped **30 million last year**, up **49.5% year on year**, and in the **first half of 2026** visa-free arrivals reached **17.815 million**, or **77.7% of all foreign arrivals**, according to CGTN and China Daily reporting on official data.[2][9] For Australian travellers, the key takeaway is that the current rules remain highly favourable for short leisure trips, but anyone planning travel beyond **31 December 2026** should watch for an official extension announcement, as the current 30-day scheme is only confirmed to that date.[4]

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