China has announced that Saudi citizens will get visa-free entry for 30 days, as part of a policy trial that will run for one year.
Under the new policy, the citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain will be eligible for visa-free entry to China from June 9, 2025, to June 8, 2026, on a trial basis, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mao Ning.
The announcement came on the heels of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit, which took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson pointed out that ordinary passport holders from these four Gulf countries travel to China for business, sightseeing, visiting relatives or friends, exchanges or transit without requiring a visa for entry.
“China now grants visa-free status to all GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. We welcome more friends from the GCC countries to visit China anytime,” Mao noted during a press conference.
In response, the Saudi Foreign Ministry welcomed China’s decision regarding the exemption of Saudi citizens from entry visa requirements. It said in a statement that “this step will contribute to encouraging mutual visits and deepening the bonds of friendship between the two countries.”
Under Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom aims to attract 5 million Chinese tourists each year by the end of the decade, with the target of making China its third largest source market for international arrivals by 2030, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Moreover, Saudi Arabia has held the Approved Destination Status (ADS) with China, which took effect on July 1, 2024. This arrangement allows Chinese tourists to visit the Kingdom in groups with simplified visa procedures, cheaper tickets and increased daily flights.
