China visa-free travel policy for Swedish nationals effective November 10

The original article is excerpted from https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-extends-visa-free-policy-end-2026-adds-sweden-scheme-2025-11-03/

Sweden has been added to China’s visa-free entry program, allowing Swedish citizens to visit the country without a visa for up to 30 days starting November 10, China’s foreign ministry announced on Monday.

The inclusion comes as part of a broader extension of China’s visa-free policy, which now covers 45 countries, including France, Germany, and Spain. The program, originally set to expire at the end of this year, will now run until December 31, 2026. According to the ministry’s consular affairs department, the extension applies to 32 European countries as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and several nations in South America and the Gulf region.

Beijing has expanded visa-free travel in recent years as part of efforts to revive its tourism sector and attract more foreign visitors following prolonged COVID-19 restrictions. The initiative also aims to strengthen ties with Europe, one of China’s key trading partners. The visa-free entry allows eligible visitors to travel to China for business, tourism, family visits, or transit without obtaining a visa, for stays of up to 30 days.