China Extends 30-Day Visa-Free Entry For EU, UK & Canada Nationals Until Year-End 2026
China Organises Over-Land Evacuation From Iran; 58 More Nationals Reach Baku Safely
AirAsia Resumes Kuala Lumpur–Wuhan Service, Restoring a Key ASEAN–China Business Corridor
Latest News
Chinese Embassy in Armenia Suspends Visa Processing 3 & 5 March After IT Outage
The Chinese Embassy in Yerevan will close its visa windows on 3 and 5 March due to a technical failure announced on 2 March. Travellers and corporates using Armenia as a visa-processing hub should reschedule appointments or redirect applications to alternative missions.
China Visa Centre in Dubai To Shut 2–3 March Citing Security Assessment
The Dubai China Visa Application Service Centre will be closed on 2–3 March 2026 for security reasons, pausing all visa submissions and collections. Gulf-based companies should rearrange travel plans and consider alternate consular locations to avoid project delays.
China’s visa-free push pays off: 30 million arrivals in 2025 fuel 49.5 % jump in inbound travel
Official NBS data released 1 March reveal 30.08 million visa-free arrivals in 2025—up 49.5 % year-on-year—confirming that China’s aggressive relaxation of entry rules is stoking a rapid rebound in inbound tourism and business travel. The surge has already pumped an estimated US $48 billion into the economy and prompted airlines to file for dozens of extra long-haul flights for summer 2026. Mobility teams should note that while entry is easier, airlines and border guards still enforce document checks and stay-limit rules.
China widens unilateral 30-day visa waiver to Brazil, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Spain and more
China added Brazil, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Spain and other markets to its 30-day visa-free entry list on 1 March, bringing the total to 48 countries. The expansion targets high-spend, long-haul visitors and offers companies a faster, paperwork-free channel for short business trips, though work restrictions still apply. Airlines and tourism boards are already adjusting capacity and marketing to capture the expected surge.
Brazil drops visas for Chinese visitors as part of eight-nation waiver package
Brazil has scrapped short-stay visa requirements for Chinese nationals—and for travellers from seven other countries—as part of a wider tourism stimulus package. The waiver, effective 24 February but announced officially on 1 March, eliminates weeks-long processing delays for Chinese executives and tourists, supporting booming bilateral trade and anticipated event traffic. Companies must still police stay limits and tax thresholds.
Chinese embassy coordinates over-land evacuation from Iran as Gulf conflict escalates
China evacuated 18 nationals from Iran to Azerbaijan on 1 March using the visa-free land border at Astara as air routes remained uncertain amid Gulf hostilities. The case illustrates how China’s growing network of visa-waiver agreements can serve emergency mobility needs and offers a template for corporate evacuation planning in high-risk regions.