Russia allows Chinese nationals 30-day visa-free stays
The measure will stay in effect until September 14, 2026, according to a decree issued by Russian President Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed off on a decree introducing visa-free entry into Russia for some categories of Chinese citizens for a period of up to 30 days.
The decree, published on the government portal on Monday, provides visa-free entry into Russia for Chinese citizens arriving for business, tourism, or participation in scientific, cultural, and sports events.
The measure will stay in effect until September 14, 2026, the decree said, adding that it does not apply to some categories, including those coming for work or education.
In September, China announced a visa-free regime for Russian citizens starting from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026.
Putin praises China’s visa-free move
Earlier this month, Putin said at a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Moscow that bolstering bilateral contacts between their peoples will be facilitated by Beijing’s decision to introduce a visa-free regime for Russian citizens, and that mirror decisions will come into effect in Russia "very soon."
"I am confident that this will have very significant consequences in both the economic and humanitarian spheres. In my view, this will be a positive boost to the development of our relations," the Russian president added.
Following the development, air-ticket searches to Russia on the Chinese travel platform Fliggy jumped more than eightfold from the previous day, the company told the Global Times on Monday.
According to the platform, Russian cities of Moscow, Murmansk, Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk are locations that Chinese travellers are most interested in.
Another Chinese platform, Tongcheng Travel, told the Global Times that searches related to Russia had more than doubled shortly after the reporting of the visa-free announcement.