The Chinese government is introducing a visa-free regime for 11 European countries to revive the tourism industry. Poland joined this list on July 1. Learn more about the conditions of visa-free travel to China

Starting in early 2024, China will introduce a phased visa-free regime with 11 European countries and Malaysia. This step is aimed at encouraging more people to visit China for business and tourism, as well as facilitating exchanges between Chinese and foreign citizens.

Citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom will be able to enter China without visas by the end of next year. Poland will join the list on July 1.

The purpose of this measure is to "promote the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level openness to the outside world," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning at a briefing in November. Visa-free entry will be granted for up to 15 days as part of a trial program.

Restoration of tourist flows to China

For almost 3 years, strict quarantine measures in China, which included mandatory quarantine for all those arriving in the country, discouraged many tourists from visiting the country. The restrictions were lifted early last year, but international travel has not yet returned to pre-lockdown levels. 

China used to allow citizens of Brunei, Japan, and Singapore to enter without visas, but stopped doing so after the COVID-19 outbreak. In July, visa-free entry was restored for Brunei and Singapore, but not for Japan.

In 2023, China recorded about 35.5 million entries and exits of foreigners, down significantly from 97.7 million in 2019. The government is seeking to attract foreign investment to boost the economy, so businessmen are attending trade shows and meetings, including Elon Musk of Tesla and Tim Cook of Apple. However, foreign tourists still rarely visit the country compared to the pre-pandemic period.

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Facilitating travel to China for EU citizens

Last year, there was a surge in interest in China as a tourist destination among Europeans. According to Trip.com, the total number of bookings from Europe to China increased by 663% compared to 2022 and by almost 29% compared to 2019. The UK and Germany are among the top 10 sources of inbound tourists to China.

Shanghai remains the most popular destination among Europeans due to its combination of modernity and tradition. Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are also popular. Sanya, a coastal city on Hainan Island, and Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, are emerging as new attractive destinations.

China continues to encourage inbound tourism by promoting cultural and historical attractions in partnership with Trip.com. The country is also improving its tourism infrastructure by investing in technology, guidebooks, and electronic payment systems.

Earlier, we reported that to stimulate tourism development and international relations, the Chinese government plans to extend visa-free travel to 11 European countries by the end of 2025. Read more about the countries from which tourists can travel to China without a visa.

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Igor Usyk - Head of Legal Department at Visit World

To ensure a safe move to China, I advise you to contact a specialist. My colleagues, qualified specialists with legal education, will help you avoid unpleasant situations during migration abroad.

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