In a significant expansion of its unilateral visa-exemption programme, China announced on 16 February 2026 that ordinary passport holders from the United Kingdom and Canada will be able to enter the mainland visa-free for up to 30 days starting 17 February. The move, unveiled by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing and confirmed by state media and international wire services, raises the number of countries whose citizens enjoy visa-free access to China to 79.
The new privilege applies to travel for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange and transit. Travellers must hold a confirmed outbound ticket dated within 30 days of arrival and proof of hotel reservation or onward accommodation. Unlike the 10-day transit waivers offered to U.S. and Indonesian citizens, the UK- and Canada-specific arrangement allows visitors to move freely throughout the mainland for a full month. Existing entry procedures—such as biometric fingerprinting on arrival and mandatory registration with local public-security bureaus within 24 hours—remain unchanged.
If your travel needs fall outside the scope of this 30-day waiver—say you require a multi-entry visa, a work permit, or you hold a passport from another country—VisaHQ can streamline the process. Their dedicated China section (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers real-time requirements, digital applications and door-to-door courier services, helping travellers secure the correct documentation quickly and compliantly.
![China Adds United Kingdom and Canada to 30-Day Visa-Free Entry List, Bringing Total to 79 Countries]()
Diplomats framed the decision as part of Beijing’s post-pandemic campaign to re-energise inbound investment and tourism. Bilateral ties with both countries had cooled in recent years over technology and human-rights disputes, but high-profile visits to Beijing in January by newly elected Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Mark Carney paved the way for confidence-building measures. Both leaders lobbied for easier business travel to support their countries’ companies operating in China’s consumer and clean-tech sectors. Industry groups such as the British Chamber of Commerce in China and the Canada China Business Council immediately welcomed the announcement, calling it a “game-changer” for executives juggling tight travel schedules and unpredictable consular processing times.
From an operational standpoint, airlines and airports are preparing for a demand spike. Air China and British Airways plan to up-gauge aircraft on Heathrow–Beijing and Heathrow–Shanghai routes ahead of the summer season, while Air Canada signalled a capacity increase on Toronto–Shanghai and Vancouver–Beijing services. Travel-management companies expect a 20–25 percent jump in corporate bookings over the next quarter as firms resume on-site audits, factory visits and trade-fair attendance that had been deferred.
For global-mobility managers, the development delivers immediate savings. A single-entry Chinese visa can cost between USD 140 and USD 200 per applicant once courier fees are included, and processing times often exceed a week—longer around public holidays. Waiving those requirements trims programme budgets and reduces administrative lead-times. Employers are nevertheless advised to update travel-risk assessments: travellers entering on visa-free status cannot convert to work or residence permits in-country and must exit China before applying for long-term documents. Compliance teams should also verify that health-insurance policies cover the entire 30-day stay, as proof of adequate medical coverage is now routinely checked at certain ports of entry.
The new privilege applies to travel for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange and transit. Travellers must hold a confirmed outbound ticket dated within 30 days of arrival and proof of hotel reservation or onward accommodation. Unlike the 10-day transit waivers offered to U.S. and Indonesian citizens, the UK- and Canada-specific arrangement allows visitors to move freely throughout the mainland for a full month. Existing entry procedures—such as biometric fingerprinting on arrival and mandatory registration with local public-security bureaus within 24 hours—remain unchanged.
If your travel needs fall outside the scope of this 30-day waiver—say you require a multi-entry visa, a work permit, or you hold a passport from another country—VisaHQ can streamline the process. Their dedicated China section (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers real-time requirements, digital applications and door-to-door courier services, helping travellers secure the correct documentation quickly and compliantly.
Diplomats framed the decision as part of Beijing’s post-pandemic campaign to re-energise inbound investment and tourism. Bilateral ties with both countries had cooled in recent years over technology and human-rights disputes, but high-profile visits to Beijing in January by newly elected Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Mark Carney paved the way for confidence-building measures. Both leaders lobbied for easier business travel to support their countries’ companies operating in China’s consumer and clean-tech sectors. Industry groups such as the British Chamber of Commerce in China and the Canada China Business Council immediately welcomed the announcement, calling it a “game-changer” for executives juggling tight travel schedules and unpredictable consular processing times.
From an operational standpoint, airlines and airports are preparing for a demand spike. Air China and British Airways plan to up-gauge aircraft on Heathrow–Beijing and Heathrow–Shanghai routes ahead of the summer season, while Air Canada signalled a capacity increase on Toronto–Shanghai and Vancouver–Beijing services. Travel-management companies expect a 20–25 percent jump in corporate bookings over the next quarter as firms resume on-site audits, factory visits and trade-fair attendance that had been deferred.
For global-mobility managers, the development delivers immediate savings. A single-entry Chinese visa can cost between USD 140 and USD 200 per applicant once courier fees are included, and processing times often exceed a week—longer around public holidays. Waiving those requirements trims programme budgets and reduces administrative lead-times. Employers are nevertheless advised to update travel-risk assessments: travellers entering on visa-free status cannot convert to work or residence permits in-country and must exit China before applying for long-term documents. Compliance teams should also verify that health-insurance policies cover the entire 30-day stay, as proof of adequate medical coverage is now routinely checked at certain ports of entry.
