China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially released a list of 50 countries whose citizens can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days. The policy, which took effect on February 17, 2026, covers travellers arriving for business, tourism, family visits, and transit purposes. The list includes countries from Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and the Americas.
The 30-day visa-free policy allows ordinary passport holders from qualifying countries to stay in China for up to 30 days per visit. The duration is calculated from midnight on the day after arrival. The exemption covers various purposes, including business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange programmes, and transit.
A total of 50 countries are eligible for the 30-day visa-free entry, including Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Notably, no African country is included in China's updated list of 50 nations whose citizens can enter without a visa. This means that citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, and every other African country must still apply for visas through standard application processes at Chinese embassies and consulates before making any trip to China.
China's visa-free policy is part of a larger effort to facilitate travel and promote tourism. The country has also published a list of 55 countries whose nationals are eligible for a 240-hour visa-free transit arrangement, which operates under different conditions from the 30-day entry policy.
The exclusion of African countries from China's visa-free list has significant implications for travellers from the continent. Ghanaians, Nigerians, Kenyans, and others will continue to face the requirement of obtaining visas through embassies and consulates, which can be a time-consuming and bureaucratic process.
The Chinese government's decision to exclude African countries from the visa-free list has not been explained. However, the move highlights the complexities of international travel and the varying requirements that citizens of different countries face when travelling abroad.
Key points
- China's 30-day visa-free entry policy covers 50 countries, but no African nation is included.
- Citizens of African countries must still apply for visas through Chinese embassies and consulates.
- China's visa-free policy is part of a larger effort to facilitate travel and promote tourism.
