On September 2, China announced a major policy update:
From September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026, the country will implement a visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports.
This marks another expansion of China’s “visa-free circle.” Back in 2023, the two countries had already resumed visa-free group travel, which greatly boosted the post-pandemic recovery of the China-Russia tourism market.
Since the policy’s introduction, large numbers of Russians have flocked to China to shop at morning markets, while many Chinese tourists have traveled to Russia to experience Russian culture. Some Russian children have even formed groups to visit and play with Chinese children.
Under the new policy, Russian ordinary passport holders entering China for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchanges, or transit for up to 30 days can do so without applying for a visa.
In August of the same year, Russia opened up electronic visas to Chinese citizens, streamlining the application process and reducing approval times, making travel to Russia even more convenient for Chinese visitors.
In 2024, mainland China received more than 1.5 million inbound Russian visitors, an increase of 115.1% year-on-year.
In the first half of 2025, some 661,600 Russian citizens traveled to China by air for tourism, representing year-on-year growth of more than 70%. China has now become the fifth most popular air travel destination for Russians.
