Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has enacted a decree permitting certain categories of Chinese citizens to enter Russia without a visa for up to 30 days. This new policy covers those traveling for business, tourism, or to participate in scientific, cultural, and sports events.

According to Anadolu Agency, the decree, which was made available on the government portal, specifies that the visa-free entry will be effective until September 14, 2026. However, it excludes individuals coming to Russia for work or educational purposes. This development follows China's announcement of a similar visa-free regime for Russian citizens, effective from September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026.

Earlier this month, during a meeting in Moscow with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, President Putin highlighted that the mutual visa-free arrangements would enhance bilateral interactions. He emphasized that these measures would have significant impacts on both the economic and humanitarian fronts, positively influencing the development of relations between the two nations.

Following the announcement, there was a notable surge in interest from Chinese travelers. Chinese travel platform Fliggy reported an eightfold increase in air-ticket searches to Russia, with Moscow, Murmansk, Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk being the top destinations. Another platform, Tongcheng Travel, observed that interest in travel-related searches for Russia had more than doubled shortly after the announcement.