Interstate agreements regulate relations between two countries, so it has long been known that Serbia, and later Bosnia and Herzegovina, have a visa-free regime with China. However, countries have the right to pursue their own visa policies, which means they may allow citizens of other countries to enter without a visa.
The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the abolition of visas for holders of ordinary passports was signed on November 5, 2016. A visa is not required for stays of up to 30 days from the date of entry into China.
Starting from May 29, 2018, holders of valid ordinary passports of the People's Republic of China and holders of valid ordinary passports of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been exempt from the obligation to obtain a visa for entry, exit, stay, or transit through the territory of the other contracting party.
Both sides may enter and stay in the territory of the other country without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
What is new is that from November 30, 2024 to December 31, 2025, Croatian citizens, citizens of Montenegro, and citizens of North Macedonia, as holders of ordinary passports, may enter the People's Republic of China without a visa for tourism, business and private visits, student exchanges and conferences, as well as transit, for a period of up to 30 days.
So, as of recently, all countries in the region can enter the People's Republic of China without a visa.
This expansion does not apply only to these countries, but is much broader.
On November 22, 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the country's unilateral visa-free policy would be expanded to nine more countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan. From November 30, 2024, citizens holding ordinary passports from these nine countries qualify for China's unilateral visa-free entry program.
Expansion of China's Visa-Free Policy
In order to increase consumption and facilitate foreign tourism after reopening its borders in the post-COVID era, China began expanding its unilateral visa-free entry policy to attract foreign nationals.
- On November 24, 2023, China decided to launch a 15-day unilateral visa-free entry for the first group of 6 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia, effective from December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024.
- On March 7, 2024, China decided to expand its 15-day unilateral visa-free entry policy to a second group of 6 countries, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg, which was in effect from March 14, 2024 to November 30, 2024, and on May 8, 2024, China decided to extend the 15-day unilateral visa-free entry policy for the first and second groups of 12 countries until December 31, 2025.
- On June 25, 2024, China decided to expand its 15-day unilateral visa-free entry policy to a third group of 3 countries: New Zealand, Australia, and Poland, which is in effect from July 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025.
- On September 30, 2024, China decided to expand its 15-day unilateral visa-free regime to cover a fourth group of 4 countries, including Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, and Slovenia, effective from October 15, 2024 to December 31, 2025.
- On November 1, 2024, China decided to expand its 15-day unilateral visa-free entry policy to cover a fifth group of 9 countries, including Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and South Korea, from November 8, 2024 to December 31, 2025.
- On November 22, 2024, China decided to expand its unilateral visa-free entry policy to a sixth group of 9 countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan, which took effect from November 30, 2024 to December 31, 2025. Meanwhile, the 15-day stay under China's unilateral visa-free entry policy will be extended to 30 days. The permitted purposes of entry will be expanded to business, tourism, visits to relatives and friends, exchanges, and transit.
Basic Concepts About Visas
A visa is a permit issued by an authorized government agency of a country, in accordance with the country's laws and regulations, to foreigners applying for entry, exit, or transit through the country.
According to international law and international practice, every sovereign state has the right to decide independently whether to allow foreigners to enter and exit its territory and whether to issue, refuse, or cancel visas in accordance with its laws.
Chinese visa authorities decide on the type, number of entries, validity period, and duration of stay of a visa to be issued in accordance with laws and relevant regulations, and have the right to refuse a visa application or revoke an already issued visa.
Who Issues Visas
Embassies, consulates, or other overseas institutions authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China are responsible for issuing entry visas to foreigners abroad.
Foreigners who meet the relevant provisions of Article 20 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China may apply for a port visa from port visa authorities entrusted by the Ministry of Public Security at a port approved by the State Council to handle port visa affairs.
Types of Visas
Chinese visas are divided into diplomatic visas, courtesy visas, official visas, and ordinary visas. Among them, ordinary visas are divided into the following categories:
| Visa Type | Applies To |
|---|---|
| C | Crew members of international trains, international aircraft, international ships, and their family members, as well as drivers engaged in international road transport of passengers, aircraft, and ships. |
| D | Persons entering for permanent residence. |
| F | Persons entering for exchanges, visits, inspections, etc. |
| G | Persons transiting through China. |
| J1 | Foreign journalists working permanently for Chinese news organizations (stay longer than 180 days). |
| J2 | Foreign journalists entering the country for short-term reporting (stay no longer than 180 days). |
| L | Tourists visiting the country. |
| M | Persons entering for business and trade activities. |
| Q1 | Family members of Chinese citizens applying to stay in China for family reunification, family members of foreigners with permanent residence in China, as well as persons applying for reasons such as guardianship. |
| Q2 | Relatives of Chinese citizens and relatives of foreigners with permanent residence in China visiting China for a short period (no longer than 180 days). |
| R | Foreign high-level and specialized professionals urgently needed by the country. |
| S1 | Spouses, parents, children under 18, and spouses' parents of foreigners entering China for long-term visits (more than 180 days) for work, study, etc., as well as persons who must stay in China for private reasons. |
| S2 | Relatives of foreigners staying in China for a short period (less than 180 days). |
| X1 | Foreign students coming to China for long-term study (more than 180 days). |
| X2 | Foreign students coming to China for short-term study (less than 180 days). |
| Z | Persons working in China. |
Hong Kong and Macao Visas
1. Hong Kong Special Administrative Visa
- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region grants visa-free treatment to people from certain countries and regions (for details, please visit the official Hong Kong Immigration Department page).
- Foreigners who are not eligible for visa-free treatment must apply for a Hong Kong visa when traveling to Hong Kong.
2. Macao Special Administrative Visa
- The Macao SAR grants visa-free treatment to citizens of certain countries and regions (for details, please visit the official Macao Immigration page).
- Except for people from a few designated countries, foreigners who are not eligible for visa-free treatment can, in principle, apply for a visa on arrival at the Macao port.
Foreigners applying to travel to mainland China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the Macao Special Administrative Region at the same time must apply separately for a mainland visa and a Hong Kong or Macao visa.
Validity Period
The validity period of a visa refers to the period during which the holder may enter the country with the visa. Unless otherwise confirmed by the issuing authority, the visa becomes effective from the date of issuance and expires at 24:00 Beijing time on the day of expiry. If there are still unused entries remaining, the holder may enter the country before the deadline, including on the day of expiry.
Number of Entries
The number of entries on a visa refers to the number of times the holder may enter China during the validity period of the visa. A visa that has used up all its entries, or that has unused entries but has expired, is considered invalid. If you wish to travel to China, you must apply for a new visa. If the holder enters China with an invalid visa, entry will be denied.
Length of Stay
The length of each stay allowed by a visa refers to the amount of time the visa holder may remain in the country each time they enter, starting from the day after entry.
Residence Procedures
After entering the country with a D, J1, Q1, S1, or X1 visa, foreigners must apply for a residence permit within 30 days from the date of entry at the exit-entry administration authority of the public security organ at or above the county level in the place where they intend to reside.
Foreigners entering the country with diplomatic, courtesy, official, or ordinary V-series visas must apply for a residence permit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or local foreign affairs departments authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 30 days from the date of entry.
List of 38 Countries with China's Unilateral Visa-Free Entry Policy
As of today, below is an overview of countries covered by China's unilateral visa-free travel policy. The list is shown by the date of the decision and, where applicable, by the current validity period. Since this policy may be extended, it is recommended to check the latest status from official sources before traveling.
| No. | Country | Start Date | Expiry Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunei | July 26, 2023 | Not specified |
| 2 | France | December 1, 2023 | December 31, 2025 |
| 3 | Germany | December 1, 2023 | December 31, 2025 |
| 4 | Italy | December 1, 2023 | December 31, 2025 |
| 5 | Netherlands | December 1, 2023 | December 31, 2025 |
| 6 | Spain | December 1, 2023 | December 31, 2025 |
| 7 | Malaysia | December 1, 2023 | December 31, 2025 |
| 8 | Switzerland | March 14, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 9 | Ireland | March 14, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 10 | Hungary | March 14, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 11 | Austria | March 14, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 12 | Belgium | March 14, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 13 | Luxembourg | March 14, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 14 | New Zealand | July 1, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 15 | Australia | July 1, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 16 | Poland | July 1, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 17 | Portugal | October 15, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 18 | Greece | October 15, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 19 | Cyprus | October 15, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 20 | Slovenia | October 15, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 21 | Norway | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 22 | Slovakia | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 23 | Finland | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 24 | Denmark | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 25 | Iceland | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 26 | Andorra | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 27 | Monaco | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 28 | Liechtenstein | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 29 | South Korea | November 8, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 30 | Bulgaria | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 31 | Romania | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 32 | Croatia | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 33 | Montenegro | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 34 | North Macedonia | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 35 | Malta | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 36 | Estonia | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 37 | Latvia | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
| 38 | Japan | November 30, 2024 | December 31, 2025 |
Note: The validity periods of visa-free policies may be extended or changed, so it is advisable to check the latest information from official sources before traveling.
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
- China Briefing – Unilateral Visa-Free Entry
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia
- Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
- Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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