BEIJING, China: China will allow Canadian visitors to enter the country visa-free, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday after talks with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as the two nations aim to thaw frosty relations.
“I’m very pleased to share that President Xi in our meeting today has committed to ensuring visa-free access for Canadians travelling to China,” Carney said at a press conference in the Chinese capital.
At present, Canadian citizens already benefit from limited visa-free access to China. Under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, Canadians may transit through any of 60 designated ports across 24 provinces for up to 10 days, provided they hold valid travel documents and onward tickets to a third country or region.
In addition, Canada is included in Hainan Province’s 30-day visa-free entry scheme for tourism, business and family visits, excluding work or study.
For travel beyond these exemptions, a visa is still required, although China has eased application procedures. Canadian applicants are exempt from fingerprint collection for many short-term visas until December 31, 2026, can apply without prior appointments at Chinese visa centres, and benefit from a reduced visa fee of C$75 until the end of 2025.
Officials have advised travellers to monitor announcements from Chinese diplomatic missions for confirmation of the full visa-free policy’s launch date and conditions.
