Following the recent extension, through December 31, 2026, of its unilateral 30-day visa-free policy for nationals of 45 countries, China has confirmed additional relaxations of its entry requirements.
In a recent announcement, the Consular Affairs Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the exemption from fingerprint collection for short-term Chinese visa applications has been extended through December 31, 2026.
“To further facilitate the procedure of applying Chinese visa, starting from Dec 17 2025 until Dec 31 2026, fingerprints collection will be exempted for eligible applicants who apply for short-term visas with a stay period of 180 days or less,” the Department said.
The exemption applies to short-stay visas issued for tourism, business, family visits, or transit purposes, provided the length of stay does not exceed 180 days. Unlike the previous measure, which applied only to single-entry and double-entry visas, the waiver now also covers multiple-entry visas.
The ministry nonetheless emphasized that certain visa categories remain excluded from this policy.
Applicants for D, J1, Q1, S1, X1, and Z visas, which involve long-term residence in China and require obtaining a residence permit after entry, will still be required to provide fingerprints, in accordance with current regulations.
A policy of gradual easing over several years
In the days following the announcement, numerous Chinese embassies and visa centers worldwide relayed the information in their own notices, confirming the practical implementation of the measure at the local level.
This includes several diplomatic missions in Europe (Belgium, Sweden, Malta, Northern Ireland,…), Asia (the Philippines, Hong Kong,…), North America (Canada), as well as in Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania (South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Australia,…). These offices specified that the exemption applies at the time of application submission, with no biometric appointment required for eligible applicants.
Fingerprint collection was introduced in 2019 for most Chinese visa applicants between the ages of 14 and 70, as part of a broader strengthening of biometric procedures for foreign nationals.
However, in the context of the recovery of international travel following the pandemic, Chinese authorities have gradually eased this requirement. An initial temporary exemption was implemented from August 10, 2023, to December 31, 2023, for certain categories of short-term visas.
Shortly before its expiration, the measure was first extended through December 31, 2024, then extended again through December 31, 2025, alongside an expansion of eligibility to additional applicants.
The newly announced extension through December 31, 2026, therefore follows this trajectory, reaffirming the Chinese authorities’ intention to maintain simplified procedures for short-term stays while continuing to require biometric data for long-term visas.
