China-Russia Visa-Free Travel: What We Know So Far

November 20, 2025|Joshua

China has launched a one-year visa-free trial for Russian citizens starting September 2025, while Russia plans to introduce a reciprocal visa-free regime for Chinese nationals soon, although it has not yet been legally enacted as of November 2025.

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A new phase in Russia-China travel is emerging as both countries move toward broader visa-free access. China has already launched a one-year visa-free trial for Russian citizens, while Moscow says Chinese nationals will “soon” be able to visit Russia without a visa. As of 20 November 2025, however, Russia has not yet put a full individual visa-free regime for Chinese citizens into legal force.

What has China already changed for Russian visitors?

From 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2026, Chinese authorities are running a trial visa-free policy for holders of ordinary Russian passports. During this period, eligible Russians can enter China without a visa and stay for up to 30 days per visit.

Key features of China’s trial policy for Russian citizens include:

Nationality and document: Russian citizens holding ordinary (regular) passports.
Length of stay: Up to 30 days per visit, within the one-year trial window.
Purposes: Short-term tourism, business, family visits, people-to-people exchanges and transit.
Time window: Arrivals must take place between 15 September 2025 and 14 September 2026.

This trial is part of China’s broader push to expand visa waivers and longer visa-free transit options to attract more foreign visitors and deepen economic ties.

What Russia has promised for Chinese citizens

Russia has publicly committed to responding to China’s move with matching measures for Chinese citizens:

On 4 September 2025, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would introduce a visa-free regime for Chinese citizens, framing it as a reciprocal response to China’s 30-day visa-free access for Russians.
On 18 November 2025, speaking alongside Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Moscow, Putin reiterated that “mirror measures” for Chinese nationals would come into force in the very near future.

These announcements clarify policy intent but do not by themselves change the law. As of 20 November 2025:

Russia has not yet published an implementing legal act establishing full individual visa-free entry for ordinary Chinese passport holders.
Chinese travelers still need a visa, an eVisa or a group-tour arrangement to enter Russia, unless they qualify for some other existing exemption.

Until a decree, government order or bilateral agreement on mutual visa exemption for ordinary passports is formally in force and reflected in official visa-policy lists, travelers should not assume that visa-free entry to Russia is available for individual Chinese visitors.

How Chinese citizens can visit Russia today

Unified eVisa for short visits

The main streamlined option for individual Chinese travelers is Russia’s unified eVisa, available to citizens of China and many other countries.

Typical unified eVisa conditions include:

Single entry to Russia.
Visa validity: Up to 120 days from issuance (for applications submitted since 23 August 2025).
Maximum stay: Up to 30 days in Russia during that validity period.
Purposes: Tourism, private visits, short business trips and participation in cultural, scientific or sporting events.
Application channel: Online only, via the official portal or mobile app of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Timing: Application submitted several days to weeks before travel; decisions are usually issued within a few calendar days.
Insurance: Proof of medical insurance covering the full stay in Russia is typically required.

Travelers should always confirm current conditions on the official eVisa portal, as technical details and eligible nationalities can be updated.

Visa-free group tours

Separate from any future individual visa-free regime, Russia and China already operate a mutual visa-free scheme for organized tourist groups:

Group size: Generally 5 to 50 people on a shared itinerary.
Length of stay: Typically up to 15 days.
Organization: Travel must be arranged through accredited tour operators on both sides.
Conditions: Participants must travel as part of the group, follow the agreed route and enter and leave via approved checkpoints.

This framework allows Chinese tourists to visit Russia without individual visas as part of an organized tour, but it does not remove visa requirements for independent travelers.

Regular visas from consulates or visa centers

Chinese citizens who need longer stays, multiple entries or who fall outside eVisa conditions must apply for a standard (sticker) visa at a Russian consulate or visa center. Categories include tourist, business, private, work and study visas.

Typical requirements for regular visas include:

A valid Chinese passport meeting Russian validity rules.
Completed visa application form and photo.
Supporting documents, such as an invitation, hotel booking, or tourist confirmation, depending on the visa type.
Payment of the applicable consular fee.

Travelers should follow instructions from the specific Russian consulate or authorized visa center that will process their application.

What a future visa-free regime is likely to look like

While details will only be clear once Russia issues a legal instrument, officials and public statements suggest that a future visa-free arrangement for Chinese citizens is likely to:

Apply to holders of ordinary Chinese passports.
Allow short stays, expected to be up to 30 days per visit, mirroring China’s trial rules for Russians.
Cover tourism, business trips, family visits and similar short-term purposes.
Sit alongside, not replace, long-stay visa categories such as work or study visas.

If Russia follows its approach in other visa-free agreements, the total time spent in Russia under a visa-free regime could be limited to a set number of days within a broader period (for example, a maximum number of days per year), and travelers might be required to complete a pre-travel electronic registration.

Until the final text is published, these points remain expectations rather than confirmed rules.

Entry rules and travel tips to keep in mind

Whether traveling under an eVisa, a group arrangement or a future visa-free regime, Chinese visitors to Russia should pay attention to these practical points:

Passport validity: Airlines and border authorities typically expect at least 6 months of validity beyond the date of entry and at least one blank page for stamps.
Duration of stay: Do not exceed the number of days allowed under your eVisa, group tour or any future visa-free rule. Overstays can lead to fines, deportation or entry bans.
Registration in Russia: Foreign visitors usually must be registered with the migration authorities within a set period after arrival. Hotels often handle this automatically, but those staying in private accommodation should confirm how registration will be done.
Travel insurance: Adequate medical insurance is strongly recommended and is mandatory for eVisa holders.
Electronic travel formalities: Russia is introducing electronic pre-registration tools for many visa-free travelers. If and when Chinese citizens gain visa-free access, they may be required to submit travel details online before arrival.

For a broader overview of where the document already provides visa-free, eTA or eVisa access worldwide, see the dedicated Chinese passport guide.

For Russian travelers heading to China

While Russia is still preparing its side of the visa-free regime, Russian citizens are already benefiting from China’s recent policy changes.

Key points for Russian travelers include:

From 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2026, Russians holding ordinary passports can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days per trip for tourism, business and family visits.
Russia is also included in China’s expanded transit visa-free and broader visa-facilitation measures, making short stays more flexible than before.
Standard entry rules still apply, including the need to show a valid passport, possible proof of onward travel and accommodation details, and compliance with local registration rules where applicable.

For a detailed breakdown of how China’s policy for Russians interacts with current Russian options for Chinese travelers, including the eVisa and group-tour arrangements, you can read the latest Russia-China visa update.