The Chinese government is introducing a visa-free regime for 11 European countries to restore the tourism industry. Poland joined this list on July 1. Learn more about the conditions of visa-free travel to China
Since the beginning of 2024, China has been implementing a phased visa-free regime with 11 European countries and Malaysia. The move is aimed at encouraging more people to visit China for business and tourism purposes, as well as facilitating exchanges between Chinese and foreign citizens.
Citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland will be able to enter China without visas until the end of next year. Poland will join this list on July 1.
The aim of this measure is “to promote the qualitative development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchange and openness to the outside world at a high level,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a briefing in November. Visa-free entry will be provided for up to 15 days as part of the trial program.
Restoration of tourist flows to China
For almost 3 years, strict quarantine measures in China, which included mandatory quarantine for all arrivals in the country, deterred many tourists from visiting the country. The restrictions were lifted at the beginning of last year, but international travel has not yet returned to the docked level.
China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter without visas, but stopped doing so after the outbreak of COVID-19. In July, visa-free entry was restored for Brunei and Singapore, but not for Japan.
In 2023, about 35.5 million foreign arrivals and departures were recorded in China, which is significantly less than 97.7 million in 2019. The government is seeking to attract foreign investment to stimulate the economy, so businessmen attend trade shows and meetings, in particular Elon Musk with Tesla and Tim Cook from Apple. However, foreign tourists still rarely visit the country compared to the pre-pandemic period.
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Simplification of travel to China for EU citizens
Last year, there was a surge in interest in China as a tourist destination among Europeans. According to the travel agency 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 incoming 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 becoming new attractive destinations.
China continues to encourage inbound tourism by promoting cultural and historical sites in partnership with Trip.com . The country is also improving its tourism infrastructure by investing in technology, travel guides and electronic payment systems.
Earlier, we reported that in order to stimulate the development of tourism and international relations, the Chinese government plans to expand the visa-free regime for 11 European countries by the end of 2025. Read more about which countries tourists can travel to China from without a visa.
Igor Usyk – Head of the Legal Department of 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.
Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:
Checklist for obtaining a visa and necessary documents in China;
Legal advice on immigration to China;
Travel insurance for foreigners in China;
Medical insurance worldwide.
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