China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that, as of 00:00 on 17 February 2026, holders of standard UK passports may enter mainland China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days. The unilateral move, announced late Sunday, extends the pilot programme that already covers France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia.
The waiver applies to tourism, business meetings, family visits and transit but excludes employment, media assignments and study exceeding 30 days, for which the usual visa categories still apply. Travellers must carry an onward or return ticket and accommodation proof and complete the digital health declaration on the ‘China Customs’ mini-app before departure.
For travellers who nevertheless need a work permit, press accreditation or any other specialised authorisation, VisaHQ’s UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) can streamline the process with real-time requirement updates, document checks and optional courier services—covering China as well as more than 200 other destinations worldwide.
![China grants 30-day visa-free access to UK citizens from 17 February]()
For British corporates the change removes both the £151 standard visa fee and average one-week processing time, a welcome boost as trade missions pick up after the UK–China Joint Economic and Trade Commission relaunched last year. Airlines have already responded: British Airways will add three extra weekly rotations to Shanghai and reinstate the Gatwick–Chengdu route from April, subject to slots.
Chinese officials framed the policy as a confidence-building measure ahead of Premier Hu’s expected attendance at the G8 Leaders’ Summit in London this July. UK ministers, while still describing bilateral relations as “robustly realistic”, privately view the step as leverage in persuading Beijing to resume the 48-hour transit-without-visa facility at regional airports such as Chongqing and Xiamen.
Employers should update travel authorisation workflows: the absence of a visa stamp means mobile employees may enter China on very short notice, but duty-of-care procedures (insurance, data security briefings, sanctions screening) remain essential. In addition, travellers performing technical services must still obtain a work permit even within the 30-day window, and overstays will attract heavy fines.
The waiver applies to tourism, business meetings, family visits and transit but excludes employment, media assignments and study exceeding 30 days, for which the usual visa categories still apply. Travellers must carry an onward or return ticket and accommodation proof and complete the digital health declaration on the ‘China Customs’ mini-app before departure.
For travellers who nevertheless need a work permit, press accreditation or any other specialised authorisation, VisaHQ’s UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) can streamline the process with real-time requirement updates, document checks and optional courier services—covering China as well as more than 200 other destinations worldwide.
For British corporates the change removes both the £151 standard visa fee and average one-week processing time, a welcome boost as trade missions pick up after the UK–China Joint Economic and Trade Commission relaunched last year. Airlines have already responded: British Airways will add three extra weekly rotations to Shanghai and reinstate the Gatwick–Chengdu route from April, subject to slots.
Chinese officials framed the policy as a confidence-building measure ahead of Premier Hu’s expected attendance at the G8 Leaders’ Summit in London this July. UK ministers, while still describing bilateral relations as “robustly realistic”, privately view the step as leverage in persuading Beijing to resume the 48-hour transit-without-visa facility at regional airports such as Chongqing and Xiamen.
Employers should update travel authorisation workflows: the absence of a visa stamp means mobile employees may enter China on very short notice, but duty-of-care procedures (insurance, data security briefings, sanctions screening) remain essential. In addition, travellers performing technical services must still obtain a work permit even within the 30-day window, and overstays will attract heavy fines.
