China Lists 48 Countries Whose Visa-Free Entry Arrangement Will End in December 2026
- China announced that visa waiver agreements with 48 countries will expire at the end of 2026, affecting nationals travelling on ordinary passports
- The affected countries span Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, including major travel markets such as Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom
- The announcement means nationals from these countries currently enjoy visa-free entry to China, but that arrangement has a firm end date
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China has confirmed that visa-free travel arrangements with 48 countries will come to an end on 31 December 2026, affecting nationals who currently enter the country on ordinary passports without prior visa approval.
The announcement covers a broad range of nations across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Holders of valid ordinary passports from these countries continue to benefit from visa-free access to China for now, but the agreements governing those privileges will not extend beyond the end of this year.
Source: Getty Images
China: Countries losing visa-free access
The 48 countries whose visa waiver agreements with China are set to expire on 31 December 2026 are:
1. France
2. Germany
3. Italy
4. Spain
5. The Netherlands
6. Switzerland
7. Ireland
8. Hungary
9. Austria
10. Belgium
11. Luxembourg
12. New Zealand
13. Australia
14. Poland
15. Portugal
16. Greece
17. Cyprus
18. Slovenia
19. Slovakia
20. Norway
21. Finland
22. Denmark
23. Iceland
24. Andorra
25. Monaco
26. Liechtenstein
27. South Korea
28. Bulgaria
29. Romania
30. Croatia
31. Montenegro
32. North Macedonia
33. Malta
34. Estonia
35. Latvia
36. Japan
37. Brazil
38. Argentina
39. Chile
40. Peru
41. Uruguay
42. Saudi Arabia
43. Oman
44. Kuwait
45. Bahrain
46. Sweden
47. Canada
48. United Kingdom
What the expiry means for affected travellers
Nationals from the listed countries who plan to visit China beyond 31 December 2026 may need to obtain a visa through the standard application process once the current agreements lapse. The arrangements currently in place allow eligible passport holders to travel to China without going through embassy or consulate visa procedures in advance.
The list includes some of China's most significant tourism and business travel partners, among them the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and several major European Union member states. Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay are also affected, as are Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
No replacement agreements or extensions have been announced alongside this development. Travellers holding passports from any of the 48 countries listed are advised to monitor updates from Chinese immigration authorities and their own governments regarding visa requirements ahead of the deadline.
China names country with permanent visa-waiver agreement
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that China had confirmed Brunei as the only country whose visa waiver agreement with China has no expiry date.
China has visa-free travel agreements with many countries, but most of these agreements have a fixed expiry date. Brunei stands out because its visa waiver agreement with China does not have an end date.
Source: Legit.ng
