China offers several different visa-free routes. Start with your passport nationality, then check your travel dates and itinerary. Eligible travelers may use a 30-day unilateral waiver, 240-hour transit, or Hainan’s separate 30-day policy. Each has different conditions.
Last policy check: September 7, 2026. By Ning (宁), Tocntravel. This guide uses official notices to help you plan; immigration authorities decide admission. About the author and how this guide was checked.
Which China visa-free policy fits your trip?
| Policy and maximum stay | When it may fit your trip |
|---|---|
| 30-day unilateral waiver | Ordinary passports from 50 countries. Eligible short visits; a return trip to the same country is allowed. |
| 240-hour transit (10 days) | Ordinary passports from 57 countries. Onward travel to a third country or region; approved ports and travel areas. |
| Hainan: 30 days | Ordinary passports from 61 countries. Enter through an open Hainan port and stay within Hainan. |
| Bilateral visa exemption | Stay limits depend on the agreement for your nationality and passport type. Check its conditions separately. |
What changed in 2026? Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam joined the transit and Hainan schemes on August 20, bringing their lists to 57 and 61 countries. Russia’s unilateral visa waiver has been extended through December 31, 2027. Sources: the National Immigration Administration (NIA), August 20 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), May 20.
On this page
- 30-day waiver: countries and expiry dates
- 240-hour transit: conditions and route examples
- Hainan: countries and travel limits
- Documents and arrival checklist
- Accommodation registration and staying within the rules
- Frequently asked questions
- Official sources and update notes
30-day visa-free entry: eligible countries and dates
The unilateral waiver covers eligible short visits for tourism, business, family or friend visits, exchanges and transit. Your ordinary passport must cover your intended stay. It is available to individuals as well as tour groups. See the MFA’s current visa-free FAQ.
Which 50 countries are included?
View all 50 eligible countries, grouped by region
Europe (35)
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Oceania (2)
- Australia
- New Zealand
Asia (7)
- Bahrain
- Brunei
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
Americas (6)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Peru
- Uruguay
Country names follow the NIA’s 50-country list; South Korea means the Republic of Korea, and the UK means the United Kingdom.
| Passport nationality | Published policy window |
|---|---|
| Brunei | No fixed expiry date stated |
| Russia | Through December 31, 2027 |
| The other 48 countries above | Through December 31, 2026 |
Not on this list? That does not always mean you need a visa. A bilateral agreement may apply to your nationality. Conversely, inclusion on the transit or Hainan list does not grant the nationwide unilateral waiver.
Some bilateral agreements impose cumulative limits, such as 90 days within a 180-day period. Use the conditions for your own agreement; do not assume that the unilateral rules apply. See NIA guidance on bilateral visa exemptions.
How the 30 days are counted
Day one is the calendar day after entry. Example: for entry on September 10, day one is September 11 and day 30 is October 10. Check the admission record and leave within the authorized stay. The MFA’s current policy Q&A also explains repeated entries and stay-permit applications.
You can return to the same country you arrived from under this waiver. You do not have to continue to a third country. Keep return/onward travel and accommodation details ready for inspection.
240-hour visa-free transit: check the whole route
This policy currently covers 57 countries and 65 eligible entry ports, with approved travel areas across 24 provincial-level regions. It is intended for onward transit to a third country or region, with a stay of up to 10 days. Use the current NIA transit policy and permitted-area list.
- Hold an eligible ordinary passport; the published transit conditions require at least three months of document validity.
- Before arrival, have an onward ticket with a confirmed departure date and seat to a third country or region within the permitted transit period, or other supporting evidence accepted under the NIA conditions. Meet that destination’s entry requirements.
- Check the exact entry/exit ports and every city on your route against the permitted-area rules.
- Apply for temporary entry at the immigration inspection point and confirm your departure deadline.
The clock starts at midnight after the entry date under the NIA’s published transit application conditions. Check the date granted at the border rather than estimating a departure deadline from your flight’s landing time.
The November 2025 notice explains how to apply. For eligible nationalities, use the updated August 2026 list below; the older notice still says 55 countries.
Which 57 countries qualify?
View all 57 transit countries, grouped by region
Europe (40)
- Albania
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Americas (6)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Mexico
- United States
Oceania (2)
- Australia
- New Zealand
Asia (9)
- Brunei
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Qatar
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United Arab Emirates
- Vietnam
Route examples: what “third country or region” means
| Illustrative journey | Transit-route logic |
|---|---|
| United States → Beijing → Japan | Different places before and after mainland China: may fit, subject to all other conditions |
| United States → Beijing → United States | Same country before and after: does not meet the third-country condition |
| London → Shanghai → Hong Kong | Different onward region: may fit, subject to all other conditions |
Check the legs immediately before and after mainland China, including connections. Do not judge eligibility only from your home airport and final destination. A later ticket change can change the transit logic.
Hong Kong counts as a separate onward region for this transit test. The 2025 interdepartmental guide, section VIII (PDF) confirms this point; use the current NIA notice above for today’s country and port counts.
For a trip involving several Chinese cities, verify the allowed areas before reserving hotels or domestic transport. Ten available days do not mean every part of China is open under this policy.
Hainan’s 30-day visa-free policy
Hainan has a separate 61-country scheme allowing ordinary passport holders to stay for up to 30 days through its open ports. Travel under this scheme is limited to Hainan Province. The NIA’s regional visa-free policy covers short visits for tourism, business, visits, family visits, medical treatment, conferences, exhibitions and sports competitions. Work and study are excluded.
Hainan’s 30-day stay is counted from 00:00 on the day after entry, as stated in the NIA’s original Hainan policy announcement (Chinese). Check the deadline granted at entry.
View all 61 Hainan countries, grouped by region
Europe (40)
- Albania
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
Americas (6)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Mexico
- United States
Oceania (2)
- Australia
- New Zealand
Asia (13)
- Brunei
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
- Vietnam
Planning Sanya plus Beijing or Shanghai? Hainan’s waiver alone does not cover that trip. Before booking, confirm which visa or visa-free policy allows you to visit the other mainland cities. If you land in another mainland city and connect domestically to Hainan, you must qualify for entry at that first arrival point.
If a qualifying reason to stay longer or visit other parts of mainland China arises after entry, Hainan’s official guidance says to apply for a visa to the local exit-entry administration in Hainan at least seven days before your permitted stay expires. Do not leave the permitted area or overstay while relying on an unapproved application.
Before departure: documents and arrival checklist
The unilateral waiver requires an ordinary passport. Other travel documents, including temporary or emergency documents, are not covered.
- Passport validity: the unilateral waiver requires validity throughout your intended stay. The 240-hour transit policy requires at least three months. Also check the requirements of your onward destination.
- Travel confirmations: save names, dates, flight/train/ship numbers where relevant, and the full onward route. Transit eligibility requires confirmed onward arrangements.
- Accommodation: save your booking or host details, including the address and a contact number. A Chinese-language address is useful for arrival and transfers.
- Purpose of visit: carry relevant supporting information, such as an invitation for a business or private visit.
- Policy check: review the specific official notice again before departure and confirm the carrier’s document requirements.
If an arrival card is required, use the official NIA online arrival-card portal. The service is free of charge. Paper or on-arrival digital options remain available for travelers who cannot complete it beforehand; see the NIA arrival-card guidance. Filling out a card does not itself grant entry.
After arrival: registration, deadlines and permitted activities
Register your accommodation
Hotels handle guest registration. If you stay in a private home or other non-hotel accommodation, you or your host must register with the local public security authority within 24 hours of arriving at the accommodation.
An NIA online-registration pilot began on March 20, 2026, in Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing and Sichuan. You can still register locally offline. See the NIA registration announcement for the pilot’s channels.
Check what your visit allows
Keep your admission and accommodation records accessible. Stay within the approved time and geographic limits. Entry for work, formal study or news reporting is outside these short-visit waivers and requires the relevant visa and approvals in advance. The MFA FAQ separately allows eligible short study tours, including summer or winter camps, under the unilateral waiver for stays of no more than 30 days; this does not authorize enrollment for formal study.
If you need to stay longer
If a need to stay longer arises, contact the local exit-entry administration early. The unilateral-waiver FAQ provides for stay-permit applications where there are appropriate and sufficient reasons. For mutual visa exemptions, NIA guidance specifies emergencies or force majeure. Hainan has the advance-application guidance described above. Do not assume these conditions are interchangeable or that approval is automatic. For policy questions, use the NIA’s 12367 immigration service.
China visa-free entry FAQ
Do US passport holders qualify for 30-day visa-free entry throughout China?
No. The United States is not on the 50-country unilateral list. US ordinary passport holders may qualify for 240-hour transit or Hainan’s separate 30-day policy if they meet all conditions. A round trip such as US → Beijing → US does not qualify for transit, even if it lasts fewer than 10 days.
Can British and Canadian travelers visit China without a visa?
Ordinary passport holders from the United Kingdom and Canada are included in the unilateral 30-day policy. The published policy window runs through December 31, 2026, for eligible short visits. Check the current notice again for travel after that date.
Can I enter China more than once without a visa?
Eligible travelers may use the unilateral visa waiver for more than one entry. Each visit must meet the policy conditions and pass border inspection. If you rely on a bilateral agreement instead, check its cumulative-stay limits separately.
Can I extend a visa-free stay?
An extension is not automatic. If you already plan to stay longer, arrange a visa before departure. If your plans change after arrival, contact the local exit-entry administration early: the conditions depend on the policy you entered under. Hainan’s guidance requires eligible applications at least seven days before expiry. See the longer-stay guidance above.
Do children qualify for visa-free entry?
The unilateral waiver applies to eligible minors under the same entry-policy conditions as adults. Check each child’s nationality and travel document, and separately confirm any airline requirements for children traveling with one parent or another adult.
Is 240-hour transit the same as the 24-hour transit policy?
No. The 240-hour policy has a specific nationality list, eligible ports and permitted travel areas. The separate 24-hour transit policy applies more broadly to qualifying onward transit; leaving the restricted port area requires a temporary entry permit.
Does visa-free entry guarantee admission?
No. Immigration officers decide admission after checking your documents, purpose and eligibility. Keep your itinerary and accommodation details available, and use official immigration channels for a final policy check.
Plan an itinerary that fits your stay
Once you know which policy covers your trip, compare our first-time China itinerary options. For a short transit visit, start with the permitted area and allow enough time for arrival, transfers and departure.
If you would like help planning the travel arrangements, plan a private China trip with Tocntravel. Our team can help shape an itinerary around the conditions you have confirmed; official authorities decide eligibility and admission.
Official sources and update notes
About the author and this update
Ning (宁) is Tocntravel’s founder and route planning lead. Ning works with the team on practical China routes and travel pace. Meet Ning and the Tocntravel team. Tocntravel provides travel planning services; the policy guidance here is based on the official sources below.
How this guide was checked: policy sources were reviewed on September 7, 2026. All three country lists were compared with the NIA lists; stay calculations, expiry dates and application conditions were checked against the linked notices. Newer announcements take precedence over country counts in older procedural guides. The route examples illustrate the rules, without claiming a traveler has been approved.
This update: clarified the different entry policies and deadlines, reorganized country lists for easier reading, and checked the source and planning links. Found a possible error or a newer official notice? Contact Tocntravel about this guide.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: current unilateral visa-free FAQ and validity windows
- National Immigration Administration: 50-country unilateral list (February 17, 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Russia extension announcement (May 20, 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: UK and Canada visa-free notice (February 15, 2026)
- NIA: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added to transit and Hainan schemes (August 20, 2026)
- NIA: current transit policy, country list and permitted-area reference (August 20, 2026)
- NIA: current regional visa-free policies and Hainan list (August 20, 2026)
- NIA: online accommodation-registration pilot (March 20, 2026)
- NIA: Hainan entry purposes and stay calculation (February 9, 2024; Chinese)
- Hainan government: guidance on longer stays and travel outside Hainan
- NIA: free arrival-card service and official channels (December 5, 2025)
