Putin proposes permanent visa-free travel between Russia and China
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to work with China to make their visa-free travel regime permanent. He made the remark at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek.
“We are ready to work together to make visa-free travel permanent, if the Chinese side considers it possible and useful,” Interfax, the Russian news agency, quoted Putin as saying.
Putin added that tourist traffic between the two countries grew 43% in the first half of 2026 as a result of visa-free travel.
China introduced visa-free travel for Russian citizens in September 2025; Beijing later extended it through December 31, 2027. Russian citizens with valid passports can enter China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days. Russia also introduced visa-free travel for Chinese citizens, running through the end of 2027.
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