Spotlight on APAC Series: China

In our spotlight on APAC series, we round up the latest developments from across the region. In this post, we focus on the recent updates from China on visa-free entry for business visits, tourism, and family visits.

List of countries exempted from visa for entry to China

As of 9 October 2024, China has listed citizens from the following countries as exempt from visa requirements in specific categories, starting from 15 October 2024 to 31 December 2025:

Europe: Denmark, Georgia*, Poland, Slovenia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg Portugal, Greece, Cyprus

Asia: Malaysia, Brunei*, Singapore*,Thailand*

* Citizens of these countries enjoy indefinite visa exemption privileges.

Duration of visa free stay

Visa free stays are allowed up to 15 days for business, tourism, visiting family and relatives, etc.

As for citizens from Brunei, Georgia and Thailand, the short-term stay can be up to 30 days,  although for some nationals, they may be subjected to restriction of staying no more than 90 days in total within a period of 180 days.

Other measures to note

It is recommended for the passport to have at least 6 months validity period remaining to avoid any issues when clearing the immigration control, even if individuals are entering China for only 15 days.

It is also encouraged to keep copies of documents supporting the stay in the country, in case requested by the authorities.

Some activities are not permitted to be conducted in the country, hence, travellers are encouraged to check prior to making any travel plans.

If you would like more information or assistance in handling immigration matters for China, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].

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