China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that, with effect from 17 February 2026, ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom can enter the Chinese mainland visa-free for up to 30 days. The announcement, made five days before and widely reported on 20 February, expands the unilateral visa-waiver programme from 48 to 50 countries. Travellers may use the exemption for business meetings, tourism, family visits, conferences, short training or transit, but any paid employment continues to require a work visa. The Times of India report notes that the two North Atlantic nations join a roster that already includes most EU member states, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, several Gulf states and five Latin-American economies added in 2025.
![China adds Canada and UK to 30-day visa-free entry, lifting total to 50 countries]()
Whether or not your trip falls under the 30-day waiver, VisaHQ can guide you through every step of Chinese entry formalities. Their intuitive portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) helps travellers verify eligibility, secure alternative visas, and manage supporting documents such as invitation letters or health declarations, all in one place—saving valuable time for both individuals and corporate mobility teams.
Multiple re-entries are allowed as long as each stay does not exceed 30 days; applicants must hold an ordinary passport valid for at least six months and be able to show proof of onward travel and accommodation when requested at the border. For business travellers the change removes a time-consuming administrative hurdle, saving an average 7–10 days of lead time and roughly US $100–150 in visa fees. Airlines have already started adding frequencies on high-yield routes such as Toronto–Shanghai and London-Heathrow–Beijing, while hotel groups report a double-digit uptick in March-April corporate bookings from the two markets. HR and global mobility teams should update internal travel-approval workflows: employees can now travel on short notice provided their travel purpose fits the permitted categories and their passports are machine-readable. Compliance remains essential. The waiver is invalid for journalism, long-term study, residency or gainful employment, and travellers who overstay will be fined or barred from future entry. Companies sending staff on short assignments should issue invitation letters spelling out that no remunerated activities will be performed. Travellers should also carry evidence—such as meeting agendas or exhibition badges—to satisfy ad-hoc border interviews. Visa-free status does not eliminate China’s strict data-security obligations. Laptop spot-checks, temporary import permits for specialised equipment and China’s new cross-border data-transfer rules (in force since January 2026) still apply. Firms are therefore advised to brief travellers on encryption restrictions and to separate China-specific user accounts from global networks where possible.
Whether or not your trip falls under the 30-day waiver, VisaHQ can guide you through every step of Chinese entry formalities. Their intuitive portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) helps travellers verify eligibility, secure alternative visas, and manage supporting documents such as invitation letters or health declarations, all in one place—saving valuable time for both individuals and corporate mobility teams.
Multiple re-entries are allowed as long as each stay does not exceed 30 days; applicants must hold an ordinary passport valid for at least six months and be able to show proof of onward travel and accommodation when requested at the border. For business travellers the change removes a time-consuming administrative hurdle, saving an average 7–10 days of lead time and roughly US $100–150 in visa fees. Airlines have already started adding frequencies on high-yield routes such as Toronto–Shanghai and London-Heathrow–Beijing, while hotel groups report a double-digit uptick in March-April corporate bookings from the two markets. HR and global mobility teams should update internal travel-approval workflows: employees can now travel on short notice provided their travel purpose fits the permitted categories and their passports are machine-readable. Compliance remains essential. The waiver is invalid for journalism, long-term study, residency or gainful employment, and travellers who overstay will be fined or barred from future entry. Companies sending staff on short assignments should issue invitation letters spelling out that no remunerated activities will be performed. Travellers should also carry evidence—such as meeting agendas or exhibition badges—to satisfy ad-hoc border interviews. Visa-free status does not eliminate China’s strict data-security obligations. Laptop spot-checks, temporary import permits for specialised equipment and China’s new cross-border data-transfer rules (in force since January 2026) still apply. Firms are therefore advised to brief travellers on encryption restrictions and to separate China-specific user accounts from global networks where possible.
