Short answer
2026's changes so far: 240-hour visa-free transit expanded to 57 countries (20 August); the 50-country 30-day visa-free list confirmed through 31 December 2026 for 48 of them; Russia's exemption extended to 2027; 12306 added a free ticket-correction refund (19 January); and the 2026 holiday schedule sets Golden Week at 1–7 October. The next date to watch: 31 December 2026, when the 48-country visa-free policy currently expires.
2026 timeline: what changed, when
Every entry below was checked against an official source at the time of writing — the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' consular service, gov.cn, or China Railway. When a policy changes, this page gets a new row and a re-push to search engines, so it stays safe to cite.
| Date | Change | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Aug 2026 | 240-hour visa-free transit expanded from 55 to 57 countries — Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam joined | Citizens of the 57 listed countries transiting to a third country |
| Jul 2026 | Russia began reciprocating visa-free entry for Chinese citizens (20 July), completing the May agreement | Chinese and Russian ordinary passport holders |
| Jul 2026 | Foreign Ministry consolidated the unilateral visa-free list at 50 countries, 30 days per entry | All 50 nationalities; purposes limited to tourism, business, family visits, exchange and transit |
| 20 May 2026 | China extended Russia's unilateral visa-free policy to 31 December 2027 | Russian ordinary passport holders |
| 19 Jan 2026 | 12306 launched free correction refund: cancel a mis-bought ticket within 30 minutes of payment and 4+ hours before departure, once per person per day | Anyone booking China Railway tickets |
| Late 2025 | The 48-country 30-day visa-free policy extended to 31 December 2026 | 48 of the 50 unilateral visa-free nationalities |
| 4 Nov 2025 | State Council published the 2026 holiday schedule: Mid-Autumn 25–27 September; National Day Golden Week 1–7 October | Everyone booking around Chinese holidays |
The next date to watch: 31 December 2026
The 30-day unilateral visa-free policy for 48 of the 50 countries currently expires on 31 December 2026 (Russia runs to 2027, Brunei has no set expiry). Every previous extension was announced only weeks before expiry, so there is nothing to announce yet.
If you are booking travel for December 2026 or into 2027, re-check this page or en.nia.gov.cn first. An entry on 30 December still earns the full 30 days — expiry governs entry, not exit — but planning around a policy's final weeks without a re-check is how travellers get burned.
What did not change in 2026
- The 240-hour transit rule still requires a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region — see the full 57-country list and all 65 ports.
- Visa-free stays still permit only tourism, business meetings, family visits, exchange and transit — never employment, study or journalism.
- Museum and attraction booking still runs on real-name passports: the Forbidden City (7 days ahead at 20:00), Tiananmen Square (free, 1–7 days ahead) and most headline museums kept their 2025 mechanics.
- Train tickets still go on sale 15 days ahead, with per-station on-sale times.
How to verify any of this yourself
- Visa-free lists and transit rules: National Immigration Administration (en.nia.gov.cn) — the announcement text, not a blog quoting it.
- Consular answers and consolidated lists: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Service Network (cs.mfa.gov.cn).
- Holiday schedules: State Council notices on gov.cn, published the November before the year in question.
- Ticketing rules: 12306 announcements in the app, and the Palace Museum's own ticketing page for museum rules.
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Where these matter
Official sources
Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.