Do I need a visa to visit China?

Find your passport

Two different lists. Being on the second one does not mean you are on the first.

A third list worth knowing: 29 countries have full mutual visa-exemption agreements with China — San Marino, Seychelles, Mauritius, the Bahamas, Fiji, Grenada, Ecuador, Tonga, Serbia, Barbados, the United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Qatar, Armenia, Suriname, the Maldives, Dominica, Albania, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Thailand, Antigua and Barbuda, Georgia, the Solomon Islands, Samoa, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Malaysia. Nationals of those countries can normally enter without a visa regardless of the two lists above. Verify the current text before you rely on it.

If you hold a US passport

The United States is not on the visa-free entry list — you need a visa for ordinary tourism. But the United States is on the 240-hour transit list. If your journey continues to a third country or region, you can enter visa-free and have ten days inside China.

In practice that is how most of our American guests come: fly into Shanghai or Nanjing, spend up to ten days, fly on to somewhere else. If your trip ends in China and you fly home from there, the transit exemption does not apply — you will need a regular visa.

How the 240-hour transit works

1. Your passport must be on the 57-country list

   Ordinary passport only. Travel documents are not covered.

2. You must be travelling onward to a third country or region

   A confirmed interline ticket with a set date and itinerary. Your entry point and your onward departure point cannot be in the same place, and your route cannot return to where you started.

3. You enter through one of 65 open ports, across 24 provinces

   Beijing and Shanghai are both included, along with most major gateways.

4. You stay within the designated area, for no more than 240 hours

   Tourism, business, visits and family visits are all allowed. Work, study and news reporting still need a visa obtained in advance.

5. You leave for that third country or region before the clock runs out

   Ten days. It is enough for one city properly, or two at a stretch.

Questions people ask us

How many countries can enter China without a visa?

As of 20 August 2026, ordinary passport holders of 50 countries may enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits or transit. Separately, ordinary passport holders of 57 countries may transit China visa-free for up to 240 hours through any of 65 open ports of entry.

Can US citizens enter China without a visa?

Not for a normal visit — the United States is not on the unilateral visa-free list, so US citizens need a visa for tourism. The United States is on the 240-hour visa-free transit list: with a confirmed interline ticket onward to a third country or region, you may enter through any of the 65 open ports and stay up to 240 hours within the designated areas.

Can UK, Canadian and Australian citizens enter China without a visa?

Yes. The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia are on China's unilateral visa-free list: ordinary passport holders may stay up to 30 days without a visa for tourism, business, family visits or exchange visits, until 31 December 2026. All three are also on the 240-hour transit list.

How long can I stay without a visa?

30 days under the unilateral visa-free policy. 240 hours — ten days — under the 240-hour transit policy. And under the 24-hour transit exemption, no more than 24 hours without leaving the port's restricted area.

What do I show at the border?

A valid ordinary passport, valid for the length of your stay. Officers may ask for documents that match your stated purpose of travel, so it helps to carry your hotel booking, your onward ticket, and an invitation letter if you have one.

Are these policies permanent?

No. The unilateral visa-free policy for 48 of the 50 countries runs until 31 December 2026; Russia's runs until 31 December 2027; Brunei's has no stated end date. Confirm with the National Immigration Administration or your nearest Chinese embassy before you book anything.

Do I need a visa for Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan?

Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are parts of China and have separate entry arrangements. This page covers entry to the Chinese mainland only — check the requirements for those regions separately.

This is general information, not immigration advice. We are a cultural-experience company, not a visa agency or a law firm. Chinese entry policy is revised several times a year and the numbers on this page are dated 20 August 2026. Always confirm your own situation with the National Immigration Administration or your nearest Chinese embassy or visa application centre before you book flights.