Russian citizens have begun traveling to China under the visa exemption policy starting September 15, 2025.
On Monday, nine Russian travelers arrived at Harbin Taiping International Airport in Heilongjiang province, becoming the first ones to enter Harbin under the visa exemption policy.
According to data from the Harbin Exit-Entry Border Inspection Station, there were 150,000 tourist arrivals at the airport as of September 15, 2025, marking a 32 percent increase from last year. Russians formed the largest group, making up 40 percent of all foreign passengers.
On September 2, China announced a pilot visa exemption for Russian ordinary passport holders from September 15, 2025 to September 14, 2026, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
During this period, Russian nationals can enter China for tourism, family and friend visits, business, and exchange visits without a visa. Additionally, they will not need a visa to transit for up to 30 days.
China’s move to ease visa policies for Russia comes in the wake of an influx of Russian tourists. According to the Chinese embassy in Russia, over 1.5 million Russian nationals visited the Chinese mainland in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 115 percent.
The visa exemption for Russian nationals could bring about a 40 percent increase in tourism to China, according to Russia’s Association of Tour Operators.
