Switzerland Joins South Korea, Austria, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, France, Australia, Italy, And Others In China Landmark Travel Expansion Covering Seventy-five Countries: New Updates You Need To Know

Published on September 5, 2025

Switzerland has officially joined South Korea, Austria, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, France, Australia, Italy, and galore others successful China’s landmark visa waiver description because Beijing is broadening nan programme to seventy-five countries to boost world tourism, business links, and taste exchange. The alteration makes visits easier, little expensive, and much elastic than earlier by allowing qualified visitors to participate Mainland China for up to 30 days without a visa. China is demonstrating its resoluteness to reestablish connections pinch nan world, fortify alliances, and invited much overseas visitors by progressively adding caller countries successful Europe, Asia, nan Middle East, South America, and beyond.

China has taken different bold measurement successful reconnecting pinch nan world by dramatically expanding its visa waiver programme to seventy-five countries crossed Europe, Asia, nan Middle East, South America, Oceania, and Africa, offering eligible travellers nan chance to participate Mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days. The move signals Beijing’s determination to fortify tourism, taste exchange, and world business ties while removing galore of nan hurdles that erstwhile made recreation much complicated.

A Wider Welcome For The World

For years, travellers heading to China faced agelong exertion processes, consular visits, and strict archiving requirements. That reality has changed. With nan caller system, visitors from dozens of nations tin now scheme trips without months of paperwork aliases costly visa fees. The description besides reflects China’s shifting focus—from a heavy restricted introduction authorities during nan pandemic era to 1 of nan astir extended visa-free networks successful Asia.

This programme is not conscionable astir tourism. By extending introduction support to businesspeople, students, taste participants, and families, China is positioning itself arsenic much unfastened and approachable. Travellers tin be a business gathering successful Shanghai, research nan Great Wall, reconnect pinch relatives successful Guangdong, aliases return portion successful taste festivals successful Xi’an—all without securing a visa beforehand.

Understanding The Visa Waiver Program

The halfway of nan argumentation is simple: citizens from listed countries holding mean passports tin participate Mainland China without applying for a visa, staying for a maximum of 30 days. Earlier, nan limit was only 15 days, restricting flexibility. The caller rules fundamentally double nan magnitude of permitted visits and unfastened nan doorway to activities specified arsenic taste exchanges, which antecedently required typical permits.

This makes it easier for world students to subordinate short world programs, artists to collaborate successful taste projects, and business professionals to widen negotiations aliases tract visits. In essence, China is aligning its recreation policies pinch nan needs of today’s world mobility.

The Latest Additions

China’s database has been expanding steadily complete nan past twelvemonth done cautiously timed phases and proceedings periods. Each rollout tends to past 1 year, aft which authorities reappraisal nan effect earlier making nan argumentation permanent.

• Russia will officially subordinate nan programme connected September 15, 2025, allowing Russian citizens visa-free introduction until September 14, 2026.
• Azerbaijan was added connected July 16, 2025, strengthening ties crossed Central Asia.
• Gulf countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia became eligible starting June 9, 2025, arsenic portion of increasing economical practice pinch nan Middle East.
• South America—Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay—was added connected June 1, 2025, enhancing links pinch Latin America.
• Eastern Europe and Japan joined earlier, pinch countries specified arsenic Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania gaining entree successful precocious 2024.

Each update is not conscionable a method alteration but besides a negotiated signal—China is deliberately widening its scope crossed continents to boost recreation and communal exchange.

Full List Of Eligible Countries

As of today, seventy-five nations are included. They span almost each continent, pinch Europe forming nan largest block.

Europe

Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Cyprus, Moldova, Monaco, San Marino, Ukraine, and soon Russia.

Asia

Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, nan United Arab Emirates, and from 2025 onwards Azerbaijan.

Middle East

Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Latin America

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and Ecuador.

Oceania

Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

Africa

Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tunisia.

Caribbean and North America

Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Vincent and nan Grenadines.

Others

Georgia and San Marino besides clasp visa-free status.

This breadth shows China’s effort to widen its world handshakes acold beyond accepted partners.

How To Travel To China Visa-Free

The process is designed to beryllium straightforward. If your passport is from 1 of nan eligible countries, each you request is:

• A valid passport pinch astatine slightest six months remaining validity.
• A clear intent of visit—tourism, business, family reunions, taste exchange, aliases transit are permitted.
• A scheme for your stay, since 30 days is nan maximum consecutive duration. Overstaying tin consequence successful fines aliases restrictions connected early travel.
• Basic documentation specified arsenic impervious of return tickets, edifice bookings, aliases financial means, which migration officers whitethorn request.
• Flexibility for taste activities, arsenic nan updated rules now let visitors to participate successful student programs, creator events, aliases collaborative exchanges without a abstracted visa.

These streamlined steps not only trim recreation accent but besides beforehand assurance among world visitors readying to research China.

Why It Matters For Travellers

The argumentation carries nonstop benefits:

1. Time Savings – No much lengthy visa appointments aliases waiting periods. Travellers tin scheme trips faster, moreover past minute.
2. Cost Efficiency – Visa fees and paperwork expenses are eliminated, making recreation much affordable.
3. Cultural Access – Travellers tin immerse themselves successful China’s heritage, from temple fairs to world conferences, without typical permits.
4. Business Expansion – Entrepreneurs and firm teams tin sojourn aggregate Chinese cities successful a azygous trip, forging stronger partnerships.

This is peculiarly valuable for predominant travellers successful Asia and Europe, wherever connectivity pinch China plays a important domiciled successful waste and acquisition and tourism.

Impact On Tourism And Business

China has made it clear that tourism betterment and business revival are strategical priorities. By simplifying entry, nan authorities expects a surge successful arrivals from Europe, nan Middle East, and Latin America.

Tour operators expect much group tours, while airlines are preparing for higher rider volumes betwixt awesome hubs for illustration Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. International conferences and expos are besides apt to spot stronger attendance, particularly pinch business travellers nary longer facing visa delays.

For section economies, nan benefits are clear: much overseas spending successful hotels, restaurants, transport, and taste attractions. This aligns pinch China’s semipermanent scheme to diversify tourism beyond accepted sites and bring world visitors to emerging destinations for illustration Chengdu, Harbin, and Xi’an.

A Signal Of Openness

Perhaps nan astir important facet of nan visa waiver description is nan connection it sends. At a clip erstwhile recreation restrictions and geopolitical tensions often predominate headlines, China is showing its willingness to link much profoundly pinch nan world.

The programme is not static—authorities proceed to adhd countries successful phases. Russia’s upcoming inclusion is simply a premier example, and much nations whitethorn soon follow. This adaptability demonstrates China’s nickname of nan value of world partnerships successful a post-pandemic world.

China’s visa waiver programme now covering seventy-five countries is much than conscionable a argumentation update—it is simply a turning constituent successful nan measurement nan federation interacts pinch travellers, businesses, and cultures worldwide. For nan first time, millions of group crossed aggregate continents tin measurement into Mainland China without reddish tape, enjoying up to 30 days of exploration, collaboration, aliases connection.

Switzerland has joined South Korea, Austria, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, France, Australia, Italy, and others successful China’s landmark visa waiver description arsenic Beijing widens entree to seventy-five countries to fortify tourism, business, and taste ties.

The consequence is simply a win-win: world travellers summation convenience and opportunity, while China strengthens tourism, business networks, and taste ties. As nan database grows and much countries join, this argumentation is group to reshape nan early of recreation to 1 of nan world’s astir move destinations.