When do China's visa-free schemes expire?
Most of the unilateral 30-day visa-free arrangements currently run only to 31 December 2026, and Russia's arrangement has been reported with a longer window ending 31 December 2027. A separate, earlier Russian arrangement ended on 14 September 2026, and the United Kingdom and Canada were added only from 17 February 2026. Treat none of these schemes as permanent and check the expiry date next to your own nationality.
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Visa-free travel to China is written with explicit end dates rather than as a standing right. Roughly two-thirds of the current unilateral list lapses on 31 December 2026, and several countries were added to the scheme only during 2026, which is a clear signal that the list can shrink as well as grow.
That has two practical consequences. Do not book a non-refundable trip on the assumption that the rule will still read the same way at departure, and do not assume an arrangement that covered a previous trip still covers the next one.
Our entry guide lists the schemes, the countries and the dates we can verify, and explains how to confirm your own case.