China has given French passport-holders an unexpected bonus: the popular 15-day visa-free entry scheme—originally due to lapse on 31 December 2025—has been prolonged to 31 December 2026. The same extension applies to 44 other countries, while Sweden is being added to the list from 10 November 2025. According to China’s foreign ministry, the move is meant to ‘revitalise inbound tourism and business exchanges’ after sluggish post-pandemic recovery figures.
For companies in France, the decision removes a layer of red tape for short-term trips to mainland China. Executives can continue to fly in for up to 30 days for meetings, factory inspections or trade fairs without the cost and delay of obtaining an M- or F-class visa. French tour operators, meanwhile, anticipate a rebound in group bookings to iconic destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an, arguing that the simplified entry will offset lingering perceptions of administrative complexity.
![China Extends Visa-Free Entry for French Travellers Until End-2026]()
The extension also dovetails with an upswing in Sino-French commercial diplomacy. Paris and Beijing recently inked agreements on green aviation fuel and agri-tech, and President Macron has called 2026 ‘a pivotal year’ for deepening economic ties. Travel managers should nevertheless remind staff that the visa waiver does not cover paid employment or stays beyond 30 days, and that travellers must still complete China’s online health declaration before departure.
From a broader mobility perspective, China’s gesture signals renewed competition among Asian hubs to lure back European business traffic. Singapore and South Korea already run generous visa-waiver schemes; Japan is piloting a digital nomad visa. France-based multinationals will want to benchmark their China travel policies against these alternatives to keep mobility costs predictable.
Finally, the United States, Canada and the UK remain excluded from Beijing’s waiver roster—a fact some EU diplomats quietly interpret as preferential treatment for continental partners amid tense US-China relations. French corporates may therefore gain a temporary competitive edge in sending deal teams to China with less paperwork than their Anglo-Saxon rivals.
For companies in France, the decision removes a layer of red tape for short-term trips to mainland China. Executives can continue to fly in for up to 30 days for meetings, factory inspections or trade fairs without the cost and delay of obtaining an M- or F-class visa. French tour operators, meanwhile, anticipate a rebound in group bookings to iconic destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an, arguing that the simplified entry will offset lingering perceptions of administrative complexity.
The extension also dovetails with an upswing in Sino-French commercial diplomacy. Paris and Beijing recently inked agreements on green aviation fuel and agri-tech, and President Macron has called 2026 ‘a pivotal year’ for deepening economic ties. Travel managers should nevertheless remind staff that the visa waiver does not cover paid employment or stays beyond 30 days, and that travellers must still complete China’s online health declaration before departure.
From a broader mobility perspective, China’s gesture signals renewed competition among Asian hubs to lure back European business traffic. Singapore and South Korea already run generous visa-waiver schemes; Japan is piloting a digital nomad visa. France-based multinationals will want to benchmark their China travel policies against these alternatives to keep mobility costs predictable.
Finally, the United States, Canada and the UK remain excluded from Beijing’s waiver roster—a fact some EU diplomats quietly interpret as preferential treatment for continental partners amid tense US-China relations. French corporates may therefore gain a temporary competitive edge in sending deal teams to China with less paperwork than their Anglo-Saxon rivals.
