What’s new: China has extended its visa waiver policy for travelers from 12 countries for another year until the end of 2025 as the country increases efforts to boost inbound travel.
Travelers holding passports from Malaysia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and seven other European countries will enjoy visa-free entry and be able to stay for up to 15 days in China until Dec.31, 2025, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affair said in a Tuesday statement.
The number of foreigners traveling to China has increased sharply as entry requirements have been eased. According to data from China’s National Immigration Administration, foreign visitor numbers more than tripled in the first quarter compared with a year ago. Nearly 1.99 million foreigners entered China visa-free, a year-on-year increase of 266%.
Background: In November 2023 introduced a year-long visa-free policy for travelers from six countries, including Malaysia, France and Germany, as it struggled to restore tourism after the pandemic.
In March, the program, due to expire on Nov. 30 2024, was expanded to six more European countries.
The country extended its visa exemption program with Singapore to 30 days beginning in February and in March permanently entered a 30-day visa-free travel agreement with Thailand.
China has also expanded its visa-free transit policy allowing foreign travelers from more than 50 countries to stay for up to six days.
Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com)
