China Offers 30-Day Visa-Free Entry to Saudi Travellers
Starting June 2025, all GCC countries will have some form of visa-free access to China.
China will implement a one-year visa-free entry policy for travellers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, beginning on June 9th, 2025, and continuing through June 8th, 2026. Under the new arrangement, passport holders from the four Gulf nations will be permitted to stay in China for up to 30 days for purposes including business, tourism, visiting family and friends, cultural exchange, or transit.
With this decision, China now grants visa-free access to all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Reciprocal visa exemption agreements have already been in effect with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar since 2018.
Saudi Arabia had previously been granted Approved Destination Status by China, a bilateral agreement that took effect on July 1st, 2024, enabling group travel between the two countries. The new visa-free policy expands that access, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which seeks to attract five million Chinese tourists annually by the end of the decade.
