Russia allows Chinese citizens visa-free stays of up to 30 days under a reciprocal regime through Sept 14
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses delegates from the United Russia party as he attends the party’s congress ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Moscow, Russia, August 22, 2026.PHOTO: REUTERS
Russia is ready to work with China to make visa-free travel between the two countries permanent, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
“We are ready to work together to make the visa-free regime permanent, if the Chinese side considers this possible and useful,” Putin said during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek.
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Russia introduced a reciprocal visa-free regime for Chinese citizens in December 2025, allowing them to stay in Russia for up to 30 days without a visa through September 14, 2026. China had previously introduced a similar arrangement for Russian citizens.
The two countries subsequently agreed to extend visa-free travel for their citizens through the end of 2027.
Putin said the visa-free arrangement had helped boost travel between the two countries, with tourist trips rising 43% in the first half of 2026.
Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said earlier that Chinese tourism to Russia had increased by almost 50% in the first quarter of 2026 following the introduction of visa-free travel.
The push to make visa-free travel permanent comes as Moscow and Beijing seek to deepen people-to-people and economic ties, with tourism forming part of broader bilateral cooperation.
