&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "China grants UK and Canada visa-free travel, US sole Five Eyes member excluded")
China announced visa-free entry for Canadian and British citizens for up to 30 days. The decision comes on the heels of visits to Beijing by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
According to a Chinese foreign ministry statement, these nationals will be eligible for a visa-free stay in China for purposes of tourism, business, visiting friends and family and exchange purposes starting from February 17.
"To further facilitate cross-border travel, China decides to, starting from February 17, 2026, extend its visa waiver policy to ordinary passport holders from Canada and the UK. Ordinary passport holders from the two countries can be exempted from visa to enter China and stay for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family/friends visit, exchange and transit purposes. The policy will be effective until December 31, 2026," the ministry said in a statement.
The new visa rules leave only the US nationals from visa-free entry to China among the five-nation alliance Which is considered a core intelligence grouping of Western nations led by Washington.
Following the announcement, passport holders from nearly 79 countries, including France, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, can travel to China without a visa.
President Trump’s “America First” protectionist policies and tariff war against allies pushed Western nations to look for alternative partners, including China, amid Beijing’s growing role in global trade and geopolitics.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Also Read: India struck trade deals from position of strength: PM Modi; calls for higher private R&D spending
Starmer, who become first British Prime Minister to visit in eight years, acknowledged China's growing role while keeping dialogue open on contentious matters.
“China is a vital player on the global stage, and it’s vital to build a more sophisticated relationship where we identify opportunities to collaborate, but also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree,” Starmer said.
After nearly three years of strict Covid-19 lockdowns, China started widening its visa-free policy in November 2023 to bring foreing travelers and traders in country. According to the National Immigration Administration, in 2025, China recorded 30.08 million visa-free entries, a rise of nearly 50 per cent increase from 2024.
