China grants visa-free entry to 4 more European countries

By Hoang Phong September 30, 2024 | 08:10 pm PT

A woman poses for pictures amid tourists visiting the Badaling section of the Great Wall on the National Day holiday in Beijing, China, Oct. 1, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Citizens of Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia will be granted visa-free entry to China starting mid-October, increasing the total number of European countries benefiting from this policy to 17.

From Oct. 15, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025, holders of ordinary passports from these four countries will be eligible for a visa exemption when visiting China for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives, or transiting for up to 15 days, according to China Daily, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian.

Previously, citizens from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland were also permitted short visa-free stays in China, a policy that remains in effect until the end of 2025.

China welcomed an estimated 95 million inbound tourists in the first nine months of this year, representing a 55.4% year-on-year increase, according to the Xinhua News Agency. This figure is equivalent to 93.4% of the inbound tourist numbers for the same period in 2019.

To further accommodate international visitors, the Chinese government has mandated that major tourist attractions accept a range of payment methods, including foreign bank cards, QR codes, and cash.