Overview
- Effective February 17 through December 31, 2026, ordinary passport holders from the UK and Canada may enter mainland China without a visa for stays up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges and transit.
- Canada’s foreign minister Anita Anand confirmed the change, and UK guidance now notes visa-free entry for short visits while stressing that longer stays, paid work, study and journalism still require visas.
- The expansion lifts China’s visa-free list to roughly 79 countries as Beijing continues post‑pandemic efforts to boost tourism and business travel.
- The announcement followed January visits to Beijing by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Mark Carney, which also produced trade steps such as eased access for Chinese EVs to Canada and reduced Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola and other goods.
- The United States remains the only Five Eyes country without 30‑day visa‑free access, and Indian citizens are not included, though China has introduced an online visa application system for India.