In good news for China-bound travellers, Beijing has announced it will expand its visa-free entry for Australians – as well as visitors from numerous other countries – until 31 December 2026.
The visa waiver scheme, which includes 45 nations, was set to expire at the end of this year for many countries.
However, China’s foreign ministry said on Monday it will extend the initiative for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, 32 European countries and many South American and Gulf region nations, Reuters reported. The UK, US and Canada are not part of the scheme.
The policy allows eligible visitors to enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits or transit purposes.
The initiative is part of the nation’s wider push to revive tourism, boost foreign engagement and reconnect after years of strict COVID controls, including closer outreach to key European Union partners.
Tourism push
China’s Premier Li Qiang unveiled the visa-free plan during a visit to Canberra in June 2024. A move predicted to streamline travel and tourism to China, it was initially a 15-day policy. But in November last year, the Asian nation announced it would double the length of stays for Australians to 30 days, in a massive boost to travel to the country.
National Immigration Administration data shows over 20 million travellers entered China visa-free in 2024, nearly a third of all arrivals and more than double the previous year, the ABC reported.
According to the most recent ABS report on international travel (for August 2025), 32,900 Australians travelled to China for short-term trips, a 12 per cent increase on the corresponding month in 2024.
MW Tours Managing Director Navy Wang says the announcement is “fantastic news” and makes it “even easier for Australians to visit China”.
“At MW Tours, we see this as a strong confidence boost for the destination and a major step in encouraging travellers to rediscover China,” he tells Karryon.
“Our China bookings have already shown steady growth throughout 2025, and with this visa-free extension, we’re confident it will further strengthen demand and inspire more Australians to experience the wonders of the Middle Kingdom.”
Shanghai-based online travel agency Trip.com Group said that the visa-free initiative has been a major boost for tourism, with bookings on its website for China twice as high in the first quarter of this year compared to last year. Three in four visitors have arrived from visa-free countries.
Despite this, tourist attractions are still dominated by domestic tourists rather than foreigners, according to the ABC.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) Smartraveller website advises Aussies to “exercise a high degree of caution in China”, the second-lowest travel alert level.
