I am from South Korea and plan to visit China sometime in January 2026. As far as I know, the unilateral visa-free policy for us expires at the end of 2025. Do I need to apply for a visa to enter China?

No. You do not need to apply for a visa, since China has decided to extend its unilateral visa-free policy for South Korea and 44 other countries (listed below) until midnight on Dec 31, 2026 (Beijing time), and will also grant visa-free entry to Sweden from Nov 10, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026.

During this period, holders of ordinary passports from these countries may enter China without a visa for business, tourism, family visits, exchange activities, or transit, for stays of up to 30 days.

Travelers who do not meet the visa-free requirements must still obtain a visa before entering China.

Countries eligible for the extended unilateral visa-free policy include:
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

(Information updated in November 2025)