Russians now able to visit China visa-free

Starting today, Russians with a regular foreign passport can step into China without a visa and stay for up to 30 days.

Visa-free entry covers tourism, business trips, visits to relatives and friends, and transit. For work, study, or journalistic activities, as well as for drivers, freight forwarders, and carriers, visas will still be required.

The initiative is being launched as an experiment, valid until September 14, 2026.

There are no restrictions on the number of trips or the total time spent in China within a year. But a tourist's passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date one plans to leave China, the Russian Embassy in China said.