China extends visa-free policy for Russia until Dec 31, 2027

BEIJING. May 20 (Interfax) - China has decided to extend the visa-free policy for Russia until the end of 2027 in order to facilitate travel, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that China had decided to extend the visa-free policy for Russia until December 31, 2027, the Global Times said.

Guo said Russian citizens with regular passports will be able to visit China visa-free for no more than 30 days for work, tourism, meetings with relatives, exchange trips and visits, as well as for transit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, currently visiting China, earlier expressed the desire to extend visa-free travel.

"An additional incentive to expand humanitarian contacts is the visa-free system introduced for citizens of our countries on the reciprocal basis at your initiative, dear friend. There is no doubt that we will continue this practice," Putin said at negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Russian tourists have been able to visit China visa-free for 30 days since September 15, 2025. The visa-free system was initially supposed to expire on September 14, 2026.