Travel to mainland China is set to become considerably easier for British passport holders after Beijing and London agreed, in principle, to a 30-day unilateral visa-free regime, according to The Times travel desk on 4 February 2026. The announcement follows UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s late-January visit to China, during which he and President Xi Jinping signalled a reset in bilateral ties encompassing trade, education and tourism.
At present, Britons must obtain a visa for nearly all categories of travel, with limited exceptions (Hainan Island visa waiver and 144/240-hour transit exemptions). Once implemented, the new policy will align the UK with 45 other nations—mostly in Europe and Oceania—whose citizens can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits or transit.
![China confirms plan to grant 30-day visa-free entry to UK citizens]()
In the meantime, travellers who still need a traditional visa—whether for work, study or stays longer than 30 days—can turn to VisaHQ, whose specialists simplify Chinese consular paperwork, arrange submissions and track applications end-to-end; more details are available at https://www.visahq.com/china/
The move is expected to revive corporate travel that has lagged behind pre-pandemic levels. British Chambers of Commerce in China noted that visa processing time is a “top-three friction point” for SMEs exploring sourcing or distribution partnerships. Airlines such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, which recently restored double-daily Heathrow–Shanghai services, are likely to benefit from a demand rebound.
Chinese stakeholders also anticipate gains: outbound numbers of Chinese tourists to the UK have been slow to recover because London still requires visas for Chinese nationals. Some analysts therefore see Beijing’s offer as leverage to press for reciprocal easing by the Home Office. Industry watchers caution that a formal start date and implementation guidelines—such as eligible ports of entry—have yet to be published by China’s National Immigration Administration.
At present, Britons must obtain a visa for nearly all categories of travel, with limited exceptions (Hainan Island visa waiver and 144/240-hour transit exemptions). Once implemented, the new policy will align the UK with 45 other nations—mostly in Europe and Oceania—whose citizens can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits or transit.
In the meantime, travellers who still need a traditional visa—whether for work, study or stays longer than 30 days—can turn to VisaHQ, whose specialists simplify Chinese consular paperwork, arrange submissions and track applications end-to-end; more details are available at https://www.visahq.com/china/
The move is expected to revive corporate travel that has lagged behind pre-pandemic levels. British Chambers of Commerce in China noted that visa processing time is a “top-three friction point” for SMEs exploring sourcing or distribution partnerships. Airlines such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, which recently restored double-daily Heathrow–Shanghai services, are likely to benefit from a demand rebound.
Chinese stakeholders also anticipate gains: outbound numbers of Chinese tourists to the UK have been slow to recover because London still requires visas for Chinese nationals. Some analysts therefore see Beijing’s offer as leverage to press for reciprocal easing by the Home Office. Industry watchers caution that a formal start date and implementation guidelines—such as eligible ports of entry—have yet to be published by China’s National Immigration Administration.
