China extends visa-free travel for 45 countries till 2026; Is India included? Check full list

China has extended its visa-free entry policy for 45 countries, including France, Germany and Spain, until December 31, 2026, and will expand the scheme to include Sweden starting November 10, the foreign ministry announced on Monday.

The updated policy, released by the foreign ministry’s consular affairs department, covers 32 European nations as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and several countries in South America and the Gulf region. Under the arrangement, visitors from these nations can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, or transit.

The program, which was originally set to expire at the end of this year, is part of Beijing’s broader effort to revive inbound tourism and strengthen foreign engagement after years of strict COVID-19 border controls.

Full list of 45 countries covered under the extended visa-free policy:

1. Andorra

2. Argentina

3. Australia

4. Austria

5. Bahrain

6. Belgium

7. Brazil

8. Bulgaria

9. Chile

10. Croatia

11. Cyprus

12. Denmark

13. Estonia

14. Finland

15. France

16. Germany

17. Greece

18. Hungary

19. Iceland

20. Ireland

21. Italy

22. Japan

23. Kuwait

24. Latvia

25. Liechtenstein

26. Luxembourg

27. Malta

28. Monaco

29. Montenegro

30. Netherlands

31. New Zealand

32. North Macedonia

33. Norway

34. Oman

35. Peru

36. Poland

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37. Portugal

38. Romania

39. Saudi Arabia

40. Slovakia

41. Slovenia

42. South Korea

43. Spain

44. Sweden (newly added effective November 10, 2025)

45. Switzerland

46. Uruguay

Visitors from these nations can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, or transit purposes.

The United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom are not part of the scheme.

China has been steadily expanding its visa-free access in recent years to attract more visitors, boost tourism revenue, and ease business travel. The country’s tourism sector, once a major growth driver, continues to recover from pandemic-era restrictions.

Beijing’s extension of the visa-free regime also aligns with its diplomatic outreach to the European Union, a crucial trading partner amid evolving global trade tensions.

In a related development, Beijing confirmed that its one-year suspension of expanded rare earth export controls—announced after a meeting between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in South Korea last week—will also apply to the EU, according to a statement issued after talks in Brussels.

“The two sides agreed to continue communication and exchanges to promote the stability and smooth operation of China-EU industrial and supply chains,” China’s commerce ministry said on Monday.

(With inputs from Reuters)