A tourist in traditional Qing Dynasty costume, Beijing.Image: keystone
China is opening its doors to foreign countries a little further: new entry regulations are intended to make access easier for tourists – and make the Middle Kingdom more attractive than it has been for a long time. What specifically changes.
November 5, 2025, 11:58 amNovember 5, 2025, 12:02 p.m
Nathalie Trappe / watson.de
A sack of rice has fallen over in China – and this time it’s worth taking a look. Because with new entry regulations, something is actually moving forward in the Middle Kingdom, which should particularly please tourists from Europe.
The People’s Republic of China announced in a Press release to further ease the entry requirements for foreign nationals. Switzerland is also one of the affected countries.
Visa-free entry will be extended
Specifically, for everyone with the relevant nationality, a visa is not required for short stays of up to 30 days. The regulation will come into force until the end of 2026 – so travelers have planning security for the time being.
Previously, short trips to China without a visa were limited to a period of 15 days. Tourists and business travelers only need a valid passport for this form of stay.
On site, they must also be able to provide evidence of the purpose and duration of their stay. Airline tickets and hotel bookings are usually sufficient for this.
China is making entry processes easier
In order to make the entire process even easier, China also wants to streamline the formalities from November 20th. A digital entry card will then replace the previously common paper form and should significantly speed up processes at airports and border stations. According to the Chinese Tourism Office, the new regulation is intended to optimize the service for international travelers and adapt entry procedures to suit the times.
According to China, visa-free entry is possible for citizens of almost all EU countries. Only travelers from Sweden, the Czech Republic and Lithuania still need to apply for a visa.
But anyone who wants to stay in China longer must also register for a regular visa. For stays of more than 30 days, a visa is mandatory – but here too the formalities are a little less annoying.
As the Chinese embassy announced, online appointments will no longer be possible in the future. However, the visa must be applied for in advance at the Visa Application Service Center in Berlin. Biometric data and fingerprints are recorded here. Additional fees also apply.
Tourism in China has been growing steadily for years. According to the National Immigration Administration, the number of people entering the country in 2024 was more than 64 million – an increase of 82.9 percent compared to the previous year. A total of 20.1 million people traveled to China visa-free. The regulation for short stays has been in effect since the end of 2024.