For many Canadian citizens—whether traveling to China for business, visiting family, or commuting between the two countries—the hassle of repeatedly applying for visas may soon be a thing of the past.
On January 16, 2026, China officially announced that it will implement a visa-free policy for Canadian citizens. This major announcement was made during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s two-day diplomatic visit to Beijing. During the visit, Prime Minister Carney met with the Chinese President and other senior officials, marking a significant breakthrough in bilateral relations.
The Canadian government described the visit as “historic,” aimed at rebuilding political and economic ties with the world’s second-largest economy after a period of strained relations.
Prime Minister Carney emphasized the need for both countries to accelerate partnership building in key areas such as energy, agricultural trade, security, and innovation. In interviews with the media, he also confirmed that substantial progress had been made on people-to-people travel.
Canadians to enjoy visa-free entry to China soon
This long-anticipated news has finally been confirmed. Prime Minister Carney announced enthusiastically:
“I am very pleased to share that President Xi committed during today’s meeting to ensuring visa-free access for Canadian citizens traveling to China.”
As of January 16, the Chinese side has not yet announced the exact effective date of the visa-free policy. Once officially implemented, Canada will join the current list of 49 countries and regions whose citizens may enter China visa-free for up to 30 days (with the policy valid through December 31, 2026).
What about U.S. citizens?
For U.S. citizens, travel to China currently still requires a Chinese visa in most cases, except when using the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.
If you are a U.S. passport holder and need to apply for a Chinese visa, we are currently offering a special appreciation promotion. Our all-inclusive service starts as low as $155. Applicants only need to complete a short form(https://visitchinavisa.com/china-visa-short-form/) and mail their passport to us. In most states, visa processing takes just 2–6 business days.
For inquiries, please contact:
📞 202-202-2888
📧 service@visitchinavisa.com