China Launches One-Year Visa-Free Travel Trial for Russian Tourists Starting September 2025

China is set to permit Russian nationals to travel visa-free for up to 30 days as part of a one-year pilot program commencing later this month, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Guo Jiakun, the spokesperson, informed reporters that this trial visa exemption will be applicable to Russian citizens holding regular passports from September 15, 2025, until September 14, 2026.

He stated that Russians will be able to visit China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, or educational exchanges.

This announcement coincided with a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, where both leaders lauded their deepening alliance as a strong counterbalance to Western influence.

According to the Russian Association of Tour Operators, the relaxed visa regulations could potentially increase Russian tourism to China by as much as 40%. In the first half of 2025, over a million Russians traveled to China, marking an increase of nearly 30% compared to the previous year. This made China the fifth most popular destination for Russian travelers, as reported by Russia’s border service.

Since the removal of Covid-19 restrictions and the reopening of its borders in 2023, China has introduced visa-free entry for a total of 75 countries.