Russia grants visa-free entry to Chinese citizens until 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree granting visa-free entry to Russia for up to 30 days for several categories of Chinese citizens, including tourists, businesspeople, academics, artists, and athletes, according to multiple media reports. Some analysts said the move will further expand economic cooperation and deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, strengthening foundation for long-term development of China-Russia relations.

The visa-free announcement comes amid a year of sustained high-level exchanges, with China's foreign minister Wang Yi set to visit Russia from Monday. Combined with the growing people-to-people interactions enabled by the mutual visa-free travel, these developments underscore deepening mutual trust as the two sides work to further strengthen security cooperation and inject stability into the region and the wider world, said observers. 

Chinese tourists pose for a photo in front of St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. Photo: VCG

Until September 14, 2026, citizens of the People's Republic of China may enter and stay in Russia without a visa for up to 30 days. This opportunity is provided on a reciprocal basis and applies to visits for personal or business purposes, tourism, participation in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic, and sporting events, as well as transit travel through the country. A valid passport of a PRC citizen serves as the basis for visa-free entry and exit, Russian news agency TASS reported on Monday, citing a Kremlin document.

China has decided to trial a visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports starting from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on September 2. Russian citizens holding ordinary passports who come to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends or exchange visits and transit for no more than 30 days can enter China visa-free, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference.

The mutual visa-free policy between China and Russia is facilitating travel and further boosting enthusiasm for exchanges and tourism, this will in turn expand economic cooperation and deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, Wang Xiaoquan, a research fellow at the Institute of Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. 

"People-to-people exchanges between China and Russia are expanding in both scale and depth, with public enthusiasm at an all-time high. The mutual visa-free arrangement is giving this momentum an even stronger boost. As these exchanges deepen, mutual understanding and affinity will continue to grow, solidifying the public support that underpins the long-term development of China-Russia relations," said Wang Xiaoquan.  

Several Chinese online travel agencies reported a surge in searches for Russian destinations on Monday. For example, online travel agency Tongcheng Travel said in a report sent to the Global Times on Monday that since November, the number of air ticket searches in China to Russia has continued to rise, with hotel bookings with Russia as the main destination increasing by more than 40 percent year-on-year. 

Continuation of high-level interactions 

From December 1 to 2, at the invitation of Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi is set to travel to Russia for the 20th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on November 28. 

At a press conference on November 28, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era. Through the strategic security consultation mechanism, the two countries maintain regular exchanges on major issues of mutual interest that have strategic and overarching significance.

Director Wang Yi's visit to Russia aims to implement the important common understandings reached between the presidents of the two countries, have an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of mutual interest, and strengthen communication and coordination on important issues that bear on the strategic security interests of the two countries, Mao said. 

Amid heightened global geopolitical tensions over issues such as the Ukraine crisis and conflicts in the Middle East, the 20th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation is intended to maintain close communication with relevant parties and enhance coordination between China and Russia, Sun Xiuwen, an associate professor for the Institute for Central Asian Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Monday. 

The latest interactions between China and Russia are also expected to further reinforce core strategic cooperation, as both sides strengthen mutual support on key sovereignty, security, and development issues, Sun said. She noted that the strategic security consultations may also address major security hotspots.

China and Russia held the 19th round of annual strategic security consultation in Beijing in November, 2024 with both sides exchanging in-depth views on major issues of common concern related to strategic security, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

The security consultation mechanism between China and Russia also highlights the stability of China-Russia strategic communication, underscoring that the high-level interactions remain unaffected by external influence. It also reflects both sides' shared commitment to addressing complex challenges through dialogue and consultation, said Sun.

Wang Xiaoquan noted that a defining feature of China-Russia relations is their dense network of multi-level communication and consultation mechanisms. Amid growing international and regional security turbulence - such as growing threats to regional security from right-wing forces in Japan - Wang Yi's visit carries additional significance for deepening strategic coordination. 

A key focus of the talks is expected to be how the two sides can jointly safeguard the hard-won victory of World War II, prevent any revival of fascism or militarism, counter hegemonism, and uphold fairness, justice, and regional peace and stability at both the bilateral and multilateral levels, said the expert. 

(Global Times)