Russia and China Seek Permanent Visa-Free Travel Regime

Russia and China are in talks to make their visa-free travel regime permanent. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that consolidating indefinite visa-free travel for citizens is a priority of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The current visa-free regime has already shown its effectiveness, with tourist flows between the two countries increasing by 17% in 2025, exceeding 3 million trips. By 2030, Russia aims to boost Chinese tourist visits to 5.5 million, a 50% increase from the previous year.

The Russian Far East is expected to account for 1.8 million of these tourists. China recently extended its visa-free regime with Russia until the end of 2027, and introduced visa-free travel for Russians in May 2025.