China Grants Visa-Free Entry to Canada and the UK: Welcomed by Canadian Officials with New Year Greetings
Kathmandu, February 17: Following China’s decision to grant visa-free entry to citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom, Canadian officials have responded positively. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand has expressed confidence that this move will further strengthen bilateral relations, while Canada’s Ambassador to China, Jennifer May, has extended New Year greetings to the Chinese people on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, it was announced that China has decided to implement visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders from Canada and the United Kingdom. According to this facility, effective from February 17, 2026 (Falgun 5), citizens of these two countries can stay in China visa-free for up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, and transit. This facility will remain in effect until December 31, 2026.
Reacting to China’s decision, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand responded on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, stating, “This will make travel easier, support business exchanges, and strengthen people-to-people ties between our countries.” Welcoming China’s move, she expressed confidence that it would elevate bilateral cooperation to new heights.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Embassy in China released a video on Sina Weibo on Monday, in which Canada’s Ambassador to China, Jennifer May, extended greetings to the Chinese people on the occasion of the approaching Chinese New Year. In the video, Ambassador May said, “In this new year, I hope that you will come and see what Canada has to offer, and that you will warmly welcome Canadian friends making the journey to China.”
China has recently granted visa-free entry facilities to citizens of numerous countries, including:
South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, East Timor, Mongolia, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Cape Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Mauritania. However, this facility has not yet been extended to Nepali citizens.
According to experts, China’s policy will play a significant role in promoting international travel and trade, as well as strengthening people-to-people relations with various countries. Extending this facility to economically powerful nations like Canada and the UK is seen as a step under China’s strategy to expand its international relations.
