The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China announced today its decision to expand the visa-free policy to include Australia, New Zealand, and Poland.

During today’s press conference, the ministry’s spokesperson stated that starting from July 1, 2024, until December 31, 2025, Australian, New Zealand and Polish nationals, holding ordinary passports, can enjoy a visa-free stay of up to 15 days in China for various purposes such as tourism, family and friends visitation, business and transit.

The official further emphasized that visitors hailing from these three countries, who fail to meet the criteria for visa exemption, will still be required to acquire a Chinese visa before their entry.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also expressed hope that Australia, New Zealand and Poland would offer Chinese nationals increased visa conveniences.

Currently, travelers heading to the People’s Republic of China mainland are required to secure a visa from a Chinese diplomatic office unless they come from a visa-exempt nation. Individuals from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan holding Chinese citizenship can reside in Mainland China indefinitely, provided their travel papers remain valid.

Chinese visas can be obtained from Chinese diplomatic missions outside of China or from the exit and entry administrations (EEAs) of county-level public security bureaus (PSBs) within China. Non-Chinese nationals must apply for a Chinese visa from authorities outside of China in order to enter the country. It is important to note that ordinary Chinese visas are only valid for mainland China and not for Hong Kong or Macao due to their independent border control policies. Travelers visiting these regions must apply for separate visas accordingly.

The People’s Republic of China’s government permits individuals holding ordinary passports from select countries to visit mainland China for business or tourism purposes without the need for a visa. The duration of these trips can range from 15, 30, 60, or 90 days. However, individuals from other nationalities, as well as residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, must obtain a visa or permit before their arrival, depending on their nationality. To encourage more tourists to visit the country, certain ports of entry in China allow citizens of specific countries to visit designated regions for 72 or 144 hours if they are in transit to a third country.