UK excluded from China's visa-free travel trial

The country’s government is to allow citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and Malaysia to visit for up to 15 days for leisure or business trips without obtaining the usual visa from 1 December to 30 November 2024.

The trial scheme will not apply to UK citizens travelling to China who will have to continue to apply for visas. Although visas are not required for visiting Hong Kong or Macau.

A Chinese government spokesperson said the move was being made to “promote China’s high-quality development and opening up”, according to media reports.

China only reopened to international travellers in January 2023 after closing its borders for nearly three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.