China has decided to apply the visa-free policy to nine more countries on a trial basis, taking the total to 38 countries. This was announced by Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Friday.

The spokesperson said that in order to further facilitate personnel exchanges between China and other countries, China has decided to expand its visa-free arrangement to include more countries, said Jian.

Lin Jian

He said that with effect from November 30 this year to December 31, 2025, visa exemption will be applied to ordinary passport holders from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia and Japan on a trial basis.

In addition, Lin said China has decided to further optimise its visa-free policy, including exchanges and visit purposes into the visa-free entry scope, and extend the period of visa-free stays allowed from the current 15 days to 30 days.

He added that starting from November 30, ordinary passport holders from the 38 countries within its visa-free arrangement, including the aforementioned newly added nine countries, can enter China without a need to apply for a visa for the purposes of business, tourism, family visits, exchanges and visits and transit, with stays of no more than 30 days.

In another development, China and India are moving towards a likely resumption of tourism and business exchanges after the recent agreement on easing border tensions.

At a meeting on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Brazil, the foreign ministers of both the countries agreed to hold discussions on several issues including resumption of direct flights between India and China that have been suspended since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. China is also likely to start issuing visas for Indian pilgrims headed to Kailash Mansarovar, a holy site for Hindus which attracted hundreds of visitors on a month-long trek from India to China through the Himalayas.