China grants visa-free entry to UK and Canada citizens until December 31

Chinese authorities have confirmed that citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom will be allowed to enter the country visa-free starting Tuesday, following diplomatic engagements in Beijing and agreements reached between the respective national leaders to further facilitate cross-border travel.  

The Prime Ministers of UK and Canada Keir Starmer and Mark Carney visited Beijing in January, seeking to increase trade and bolster relations with China amid increasing tariffs from the United States.  

Both leaders had hailed progress following meetings with top Chinese leaders such as President Xi Jinping, including on issues like visa-free access for their citizens to China.

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The Foreign Minister of Beijing confirmed agreements on Sunday and said that the citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom will be able to travel China without visa, with the policy in effect until December 31.  

“Holders of ordinary passports from these countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges, or transit for a period not exceeding 30 days,” it said in a statement.

This was to “further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries”, it added.

The move brings rules for UK and Canada passport holders into line with 50 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan.

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Hundreds of thousands of British people could potentially benefit from the change, with around 620,000 travelling to China in 2024 according to the Office for National Statistics.

During his official visit to China in January, Starmer said British businesses had been “crying out for ways to grow their footprints in China”.

Xi and Starmer also agreed to deepen trade relations in services, healthcare, green technology and finance - though no sweeping trade free trade agreement was announced.