China expands visa-free travel to 75 countries

Scope of the policy

The visa exemption covers typical business travel activities such as attending meetings or trade fairs, signing contracts, as well as tourism and cultural exchange. For companies, it offers a convenient alternative to the business (M) visa, which can take weeks to process, and the work (Z) visa, which requires sponsorship. However, visa-free travellers cannot engage in work, study, journalism, or other remunerated labour, and stays cannot exceed 30 days.

It is important to note that the unilateral visa-free policy is temporary, expiring on 31 December 2025 for most countries, 31 May 2026 for the newly-added South American nations, and 08 June 2026 for the four Middle Eastern ones. It builds on China’s previous policy of 38 countries, now extending access to more nations across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Gulf region. 

Mutual vs unilateral visa-free policies

China has also signed several mutual visa exemption agreements, allowing ordinary passport holders from certain countries to enjoy reciprocal visa-free access for stays of up to 30 days per visit, or 90 days within 180 days, for tourism, business, or family visits. In parallel, it has introduced unilateral visa-free policies for select countries, enabling short-term visits without reciprocity.

24/240-hour China visa-free transit 

For citizens from countries not on the visa-free list, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, China still offers transit options. Citizens of 55 countries can use 240-hour visa-free transit, allowing stays of up to six days in designated regions after entering by one of 60 ports with an onward ticket to a third country.

Meanwhile, the 24-hour visa-free transit applies more broadly to almost all nationalities, allowing short layovers within the arrival city before continuing to another destination.

Compliance and tax considerations

From a compliance perspective, multiple visa-free entries are permitted, and there is no official annual limit on days spent in China. However, travellers must stick to their stated purpose of entry, and frequent or extended visits may trigger scrutiny from immigration authorities.

Tax implications are also minimal. Foreign employees generally are not taxed unless they spend over 183 days in China within a year, or unless the company establishes a presence by providing services for over 183 days or running projects longer than 12 months.

Impact

This expansion is expected to inject significant dynamism into China’s economy by facilitating cross-border collaboration, marking a major step toward making the country more open and accessible for professionals and companies.

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With nearly a decade of experience in accounting, Dream is a partner at MSA. Her expertise lies in tax and HR, where she plays a key role in helping clients navigate complex challenges. She also assists in other areas such as payroll compliance, corporate tax, and social security contributions.