China broadens visa-free travel for Gulf Cooperation Council nations
China will instigate a visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, effective from June 9, 2025, lasting until June 8, 2026, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning disclosed on Wednesday.
As per this policy, citizens of the four nations can enter China without visas, and stay for up to 30 days for purposes such as tourism, business, family visits, cultural exchange, friendly exchanges, or transit through China.
This expansion of China's visa-free policy comes after similar arrangements were implemented for the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in 2018. Consequently, all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries now enjoy visa-free treatment in China.
The move aims to foster personnel exchanges, reinforce bilateral ties, and bolster cultural and economic cooperation between China and the GCC nations.
The newly announced visa-free policy in China allows citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and previously the UAE and Qatar, to travel to China without visas for tourism, business, family visits, cultural exchange, friendly exchanges, or transit purposes. Additionally, this policy change is part of China's strategic initiatives to strengthen its political and economic relationships with GCC nations, notably in the areas of policy-and-legislation and general-news.
