China has doubled-down on its drive to restore inbound travel by formally extending its unilateral visa-free policy for more than 40 countries by a further 12 months and adding Sweden to the programme. According to a notice released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 4 November 2025, ordinary-passport holders from participating nations—including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Hungary—may continue to enter mainland China without a visa for business, tourism, family visits or transit until 31 December 2026. Stays of up to 30 days per trip remain permitted. Sweden will join the list on 10 November 2025.
The visa-free experiment, first trialled in late-2023 for six EU member states, has been progressively widened in both geographic scope and duration. Government data show 7.24 million foreign arrivals took advantage of visa-free entry in Q3 2025—up 48 percent year-on-year and accounting for over 72 percent of all foreign entries. Beijing views the measure as low-cost stimulus for business travel, exhibitions and high-value tourism while signalling policy stability to multinational investors.
![China Extends Unilateral Visa-Free Entry for 40+ Countries and Adds Sweden Until End-2026]()
For corporate mobility managers the extension provides welcome continuity through the 2026 planning cycle. European headquarters can now schedule China visits, due-diligence trips and trade-fair delegations without factoring in visa lead-times or consular fees. Swedish firms from the life-sciences and automotive sectors—both with sizable footprints in China—stand to benefit immediately. In bound recruitment pipelines also gain resilience: candidates from visa-exempt markets can fly in for interviews or short-term assignments on short notice.
Practical guidance: travellers must hold an ordinary passport valid for six months and proof of onward travel; the 30-day clock starts upon entry and back-to-back runs are discouraged. Those intending to work, study or engage in media activities still need the appropriate visa in advance. Carriers have been reminded to update DCS systems and TIMATIC profiles before 10 November to reflect Sweden’s inclusion.
China’s move keeps it aligned with rival business hubs such as Singapore and the UAE that aggressively court post-pandemic visitor flows. Analysts expect further liberalisation—potentially adding additional Nordic and Middle-East states—if the scheme continues to drive double-digit growth in high-yield arrivals.
The visa-free experiment, first trialled in late-2023 for six EU member states, has been progressively widened in both geographic scope and duration. Government data show 7.24 million foreign arrivals took advantage of visa-free entry in Q3 2025—up 48 percent year-on-year and accounting for over 72 percent of all foreign entries. Beijing views the measure as low-cost stimulus for business travel, exhibitions and high-value tourism while signalling policy stability to multinational investors.
For corporate mobility managers the extension provides welcome continuity through the 2026 planning cycle. European headquarters can now schedule China visits, due-diligence trips and trade-fair delegations without factoring in visa lead-times or consular fees. Swedish firms from the life-sciences and automotive sectors—both with sizable footprints in China—stand to benefit immediately. In bound recruitment pipelines also gain resilience: candidates from visa-exempt markets can fly in for interviews or short-term assignments on short notice.
Practical guidance: travellers must hold an ordinary passport valid for six months and proof of onward travel; the 30-day clock starts upon entry and back-to-back runs are discouraged. Those intending to work, study or engage in media activities still need the appropriate visa in advance. Carriers have been reminded to update DCS systems and TIMATIC profiles before 10 November to reflect Sweden’s inclusion.
China’s move keeps it aligned with rival business hubs such as Singapore and the UAE that aggressively court post-pandemic visitor flows. Analysts expect further liberalisation—potentially adding additional Nordic and Middle-East states—if the scheme continues to drive double-digit growth in high-yield arrivals.
