Policy
China's unilateral visa waiver begins — 6 European countries first
From 1 December 2023, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia got visa-free entry to China for 15 days — the start of a wave that kept expanding through 2024 and 2025.
- Who it affects
- Ordinary-passport holders from the countries on China's unilateral visa-free list.
- What to do
- Check the list — if your nationality is on it, enter visa-free for up to 30 days; see the visa guide.
On 1 December 2023, China began a unilateral visa waiver for ordinary-passport holders of six countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. Entry was visa-free for up to 15 days for tourism, business, visiting family or transit.
It was the first move in a sustained opening:
- March 2024 — the waiver extended to Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg.
- November 2024 — extended again, to nine more countries (Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea) and lengthened to 30 days.
- 2025 — the list kept growing, covering most of Europe plus Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and others.
For Xi'an travellers this matters directly: a 30-day visa-free window is far more than enough for any realistic trip, and the 240-hour transit covers everyone else. See our visa guide for the current list and rules.
Related guide
Read the full guide