Russia Announces Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Citizens: 30-Day Stay, Valid...

According to public reports and information from the Russian presidential decree, Russia will implement a 'temporary visa-free entry' arrangement for citizens holding ordinary passports of the People's Republic of China starting from December 1, 2025: they can enter Russia visa-free and stay for no more than 30 days, with the policy valid until September 14, 2026 (inclusive). This measure is based on the 'principle of reciprocity,' with the background related to China's previous phased visa-free arrangement for Russian citizens (China has been trialing a 30-day visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from Russia starting from September 15, 2025, for a trial period of one year).

The key points of visa exemption can be summarized into four "certainties":

1. Document certainty: Applicable to "holders of ordinary Chinese passports";
2. Duration certainty: The visa exemption policy is valid until September 14, 2026 (inclusive), with a single stay not exceeding 30 days;
3. Purpose certainty: Can be used for tourism, business, visiting relatives and friends, participating in scientific/cultural/social-political/economic/sports activities, as well as transit and departure;
4. Effective certainty: Takes effect immediately upon the signing of the presidential decree (clearly reported through multiple channels on December 1/2, 2025).

This temporary visa exemption is not 'unrestricted entry'. Public information indicates that the following situations are not applicable:

• Entry for work/labor purposes (some reports explicitly include news work/journalist work);
• Entry for long-term study/education purposes;
• Entry for residence in Russia/obtaining residency;
• Positions related to international road transport (such as drivers, vehicle crew members, freight forwarders, accompanying translators, etc.).
  AIAIG reminder: It is more friendly for 'inspection + short-term business negotiations'; it does not serve as a substitute for 'work visas, study visas, long-term residence'.

For the 'cross-border asset allocation/real estate investment' demographic, the direct value of visa-free access lies in reducing the 'first-visit cost,' shifting the decision-making chain from 'apply for a visa first, then view properties/projects' to 'conduct a quick and efficient inspection first, then decide whether to proceed to the next compliance path.' However, practical implementation still encounters three types of friction:

• Financial and payment friction: Cross-border currency exchange, settlement channels, availability of bank cards/payment tools, etc., may determine whether transactions can proceed smoothly;
• Compliance and due diligence friction: Even with visa-free entry, activities such as buying/selling, leasing, company establishment, tax filing, etc., still need to comply with local regulations and anti-money laundering review requirements;
• Transaction cycle friction: A 30-day window is more suitable for 'property viewing + negotiation + signing letters of intent/reservations,' but does not equate to completing all procedures like title transfer, loans, and fund arrangements within the window.
  AIAIG's recommended practical path: Use visa-free access for 'market validation and asset screening,' and delegate actual transaction/long-term stay needs to corresponding visas and compliance paths (work/study/residency, etc., still require visas or permits).