China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 13 November that the unilateral 30-day visa-waiver scheme for citizens of 47 countries—including Belgium—will now run until 31 December 2026. Sweden was added to the eligibility list effective 10 November. The programme allows Belgian passport holders to enter China for tourism, business, family visits and transit without a visa, though employment and study remain excluded.
Before the pandemic, Belgium generated more than 120,000 annual arrivals to China. Travel has yet to recover fully, but tour operators and corporate travel planners say the two-year extension provides the certainty needed to rebuild capacity. Airlines operating Brussels–Beijing and Brussels–Shanghai routes are expected to add frequencies ahead of Chinese New Year 2026.
![China Extends 30-Day Visa-Free Entry for Belgian Visitors Until End-2026]()
The waiver still requires travellers to carry passports valid for at least six months and proof of onward travel. Belgian firms sending staff to China for short-term technical support should prepare invitation letters and corporate registration documents in case border officials request additional proof of purpose. Travellers must also check that their port of entry participates in the programme; some secondary airports and land crossings are excluded.
From a global-mobility perspective, the extension reduces administrative overhead for project kick-offs, trade-fair attendance and equipment-installation trips. It also dovetails with Belgium’s broader Indo-Pacific engagement strategy, which emphasises supply-chain diversification and technology partnerships with mainland Chinese firms.
The policy does not cover multiple entries within the same 30-day window, so expatriates managing longer projects should still consider business (M-class) or work (Z-class) visas. Nevertheless, the waiver is a welcome development that enhances Belgium-China connectivity at a time of renewed demand for face-to-face engagement.
Before the pandemic, Belgium generated more than 120,000 annual arrivals to China. Travel has yet to recover fully, but tour operators and corporate travel planners say the two-year extension provides the certainty needed to rebuild capacity. Airlines operating Brussels–Beijing and Brussels–Shanghai routes are expected to add frequencies ahead of Chinese New Year 2026.
The waiver still requires travellers to carry passports valid for at least six months and proof of onward travel. Belgian firms sending staff to China for short-term technical support should prepare invitation letters and corporate registration documents in case border officials request additional proof of purpose. Travellers must also check that their port of entry participates in the programme; some secondary airports and land crossings are excluded.
From a global-mobility perspective, the extension reduces administrative overhead for project kick-offs, trade-fair attendance and equipment-installation trips. It also dovetails with Belgium’s broader Indo-Pacific engagement strategy, which emphasises supply-chain diversification and technology partnerships with mainland Chinese firms.
The policy does not cover multiple entries within the same 30-day window, so expatriates managing longer projects should still consider business (M-class) or work (Z-class) visas. Nevertheless, the waiver is a welcome development that enhances Belgium-China connectivity at a time of renewed demand for face-to-face engagement.
