China opens doors to 50 countries visa-free – Pakistan left out, what about India? | world news

Beijing: In a move aimed at reopening travel flows and drawing visitors back after years of pandemic-era restrictions, China has announced a visa-free entry facility for citizens of 50 countries. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed this in a press briefing. The new rule lets people from selected countries travel to the country without a visa for a short stay starting from the 2026 Spring Festival, which celebrates the beginning of the Lunar New Year. This year, the festival began on February 17, with people across China traveling and celebrating the holiday.

The visa waiver covers most European nations along with notified countries from Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Recently, the list was expanded to include citizens of the United Kingdom and Canada. Indian and Pakistani passport holders do not fall under the visa-free category announced in this round.

Countries eligible for visa-free travel include Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Russia, Sweden, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The policy is part of China’s plan to reopen travel and bring back foreign tourists. Visitor numbers dropped sharply during the pandemic because of strict border rules and quarantine requirements. Since then, the government has eased entry rules to make travel easier and attract more international visitors.

With this visa-free policy, eligible foreign nationals can stay in China for up to 30 days without getting a visa in advance. The rule applies to tourism and short visits. Working or earning money during this stay is not allowed. Anyone who wants to stay longer than 30 days must apply for a regular visa through the normal process.