Russia Extends Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Passport Holders to 31 December 2027

On 20 July 2026, the Government of the Russian Federation announced that President Vladimir Putin had signed an Executive Order extending the visa-free entry regime for Chinese citizens until 31 December 2027. The arrangement was previously set to expire on 14 September 2026, so the order carries it forward by more than fifteen months.

The extension is reciprocal. China announced in May 2026 that it would extend its own visa-free regime for Russian nationals to the same date, 31 December 2027. Announcing the Russian decision, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said the move "establishes unprecedented conditions for the expansion of business ties, tourism, youth exchanges, as well as collaboration in science and sports", and noted that around two million Russians visited China over the past year while about one million Chinese citizens travelled to Russia.

The waiver is set by nationality and passport type: it covers holders of ordinary passports of the People’s Republic of China. Where you live does not change your eligibility — a Chinese passport holder resident in Dubai is treated the same as one travelling from Beijing.

The waiver also has limits. It permits stays of up to 30 days for the purposes listed above. If you plan to stay longer than 30 days, or to travel for a purpose outside that list — for example to take up employment or to enrol in a course of study — you still need the appropriate Russian visa. For those cases, Russia’s unified e-Visa and the consular visa routes through the Russian Consulate General in Dubai continue to apply.

Within OraVisa’s audience, the direct beneficiaries are Chinese passport holders living in the UAE. For a short holiday in Moscow or St Petersburg, or a week of meetings, there is now no visa step at all until at least the end of 2027 — you travel on your passport.

For every other UAE resident, nothing changes. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and other passport holders are unaffected by this bilateral arrangement and still need a Russian visa. Depending on nationality, that is either Russia’s unified e-Visa, applied for online, or a consular visa through the Russian Consulate General in Dubai. Your UAE residence visa does not create eligibility for the waiver.

1. 1Check your passport type. The waiver covers ordinary People’s Republic of China passports; confirm yours before relying on it.
2. 2Confirm your trip fits the terms — 30 days or less, and for tourism, business, a family visit, an exchange programme or transit.
3. 3Make sure your passport has enough remaining validity and blank pages for entry, as you would for any international trip.
4. 4If your stay will run past 30 days, or you are travelling to work or study, apply for the appropriate Russian visa well ahead of departure.
5. 5If you hold any other passport, plan for the e-Visa or consular route as usual — this change does not apply to you.
6. 6Verify the current position on the official Russian government channels before you book, and contact OraVisa if you need help identifying the right route for your passport.

This update is based on publicly available information from the Government of the Russian Federation as of 21 July 2026. The visa-free entry regime for Chinese citizens has been extended to 31 December 2027; it applies to holders of ordinary People’s Republic of China passports for stays of up to 30 days within the permitted purposes. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help UAE residents understand the change. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information, always refer to the Government of the Russian Federation at government.ru and the Russian Consulate General in Dubai.