China grants visa-free entry to travellers of these two nations from February 17: Check details

China is opening its doors wider to Western travellers. Starting February 17, 2026, ordinary passport holders from the United Kingdom and Canada will be able to enter China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, a move officials say is meant to revive travel and strengthen people-to-people ties after years of pandemic disruption.

The waiver, announced by the foreign ministry, will remain in force until December 31, 2026 and applies to tourism, business trips, family visits, exchanges and transit travel. It expands an existing arrangement already offered to 48 countries and coincides with the Lunar New Year travel period.

What the new visa waiver allows

Visitors can now travel across mainland China without pre-arrival paperwork, allowing flexible itineraries spanning major cities and smaller destinations alike. The 30-day window is designed to support extended travel circuits, from southern food hubs and heritage towns to interior cultural regions.

Authorities expect the easier entry rules to boost spontaneous travel and push inbound arrivals back toward pre-pandemic levels. Early projections point to rising visitor numbers from both Canada and the UK, helped by expanding rail links connecting major entry ports to inland tourism routes.

Business travel is expected to follow

The policy also simplifies executive travel to financial and technology centres, encouraging business visitors to combine meetings with leisure trips. Officials say easier access has already increased commercial engagement, with corporate delegations extending visits beyond primary cities into secondary economic hubs.

Family visits and diaspora travel

The waiver is also expected to drive family reunions, particularly among overseas Chinese communities. Travellers will be able to visit ancestral regions without long visa procedures, boosting rural tourism and heritage travel circuits alongside urban destinations.

Cultural exchanges and transit tourism

Students, artists and exchange groups will benefit from easier entry for short programmes and collaborative visits. Transit passengers passing through major aviation hubs will also be able to leave airports and explore nearby attractions during layovers under existing short-stay policies.

Infrastructure and digital processing

Authorities have integrated digital immigration systems and biometric checks at major airports to speed up arrivals. Combined with the country’s high-speed rail network, the policy is designed to allow visitors to move quickly between destinations without complex entry formalities.

Why timing matters

The waiver launches during the Spring Festival travel period, when cities host large cultural celebrations and visitor flows typically surge. Officials see the measure as part of a broader push to restore inbound travel and encourage international tourism spending across regions, including beach provinces, mountain areas and historic sites.

The policy currently runs through the end of 2026, but authorities have indicated it could become permanent depending on response and visitor volumes.