Chinese visa waiver for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain takes effect

Dubai: China’s visa-free entry policy for citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain into China took effect yesterday, June 9, 2025, marking a significant step in deepening people-to-people exchanges with the GCC region. The visa waiver will be in place for one year, until June 8, 2026.

The visa-free policy allows the citizens of these countries to stay in China for 30 days without a visa for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchanges, and transit, marking a bold leap in GCC’s diplomacy and economic unity.

Citizens from the four GCC countries can now travel visa-free to China, joining the UAE and Qatar, which have enjoyed the same easy access since 2018. The policy is expected to drive stronger tourism, business, and cultural ties.

The visa waiver will be in place for one year, until June 8, 2026. The move completes China's visa-free coverage for the entire GCC bloc, which already included the UAE and Qatar, countries that have enjoyed full mutual visa exemptions with China since 2018.

The announcement was made on May 28 following discussions during the ASEAN–China–GCC Summit, where China outlined plans to boost regional cooperation and ease travel barriers as part of its broader diplomatic outreach to the Middle East.