China to trial visa-free policy for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain

China will trial a visa-free policy today to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia, allowing regular passport holders from these four countries to enter China without any visa. Following this expansion, 47 countries are now covered by China's unilateral visa-free policy.

From June 9, 2025 to June 8, 2026, every holder of a Bahraini, Kuwaiti, Omani or Saudi Arabian regular passport can enter China visa-free for purposes of business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchanges, or transit, provided that their stay period shall not exceed 30 days. This new arrangement indicates that China has now achieved full visa-free coverage for all the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), following the implementation of mutual visa exemption agreements in 2018 with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which are also members of GCC.