China Extends Visa-Free Access for Russians to 2027

(MENAFN) China has announced a sweeping extension of its visa-free entry policy for Russian nationals through the close of 2027, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed Wednesday — a move that underscores the accelerating alignment between Moscow and Beijing as President Vladimir Putin wrapped up a two-day state visit to the Chinese capital.

"China has decided to extend its visa-free policy for Russian citizens until December 31, 2027, in order to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between the two countries," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told journalists.

Guo clarified that holders of standard Russian passports may enter China without a visa for purposes including business, tourism, family visits, and academic exchange programs, with each stay capped at 30 days. The streamlined entry arrangement was first introduced on a one-year trial basis last September.

Moscow moved swiftly to reciprocate. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed later Wednesday that Russia would mirror Beijing's decision, extending its own visa-free regime with China through 2027. Peskov described the mutual arrangement as having proven "highly effective."

The announcements arrive against a backdrop of rapidly expanding Russia-China ties spanning trade, energy infrastructure, finance, manufacturing, technology, and cross-border investment. New air routes, university partnerships, and regional commercial initiatives have further cemented the bilateral relationship.

The numbers tell a striking story. Russia's Federal Security Service reported that Russian citizens made 2.5 million trips to China in 2025 — a rise of more than 30% year-on-year, nearly recapturing the pre-pandemic peak of 2.6 million recorded in 2019.

Traffic in the other direction has been equally robust. Chinese nationals made up more than half of the 1.64 million foreign tourists who entered Russia in 2025, according to border control data. In the fourth quarter alone — following the introduction of the visa-free regime — Chinese tourist arrivals surged 23.8% compared to the same period the previous year.

In December, Russia had already granted Chinese citizens reciprocal visa-free entry for stays of up to 30 days, laying the groundwork for Wednesday's broader extension.

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