Ordinary passport holders from 50 countries can enter China without a visa for short visits. No onward ticket is required, and you may travel across most of the mainland.
Entry & policy centre
50 visa-free countries, 57 transit countries, 65 designated ports. Read the rule that fits your passport — every card links to the authority that owns it.
50visa-free countries
57transit countries
65designated ports
24covered regions
Reviewed 28 September 2026 · next review
This page only ever gives three conclusions
May apply
Your known details match a supported scheme. You still need to confirm on the official source.
Does not apply
Your known details clearly fall outside the current rules.
Cannot determine
Information is incomplete, the boundary is complex, the source is stale, or the case is not covered. Check with the authority directly.
Rule cards
Organised by visa-free, transit, ports and accommodation registration. Each card lists who it applies to, the conditions, the limits, the boundaries and the official source.
Passport holders from 57 countries transiting to a third country or region can stay up to 240 hours, entering through 65 designated ports across 24 provincial-level regions.
Passengers on international-to-international connections through most Chinese airports can remain in the transit area without a visa, provided they do not leave the restricted area.
Most foreign visitors must now file the arrival card online before travel. At the border, officers may ask about your itinerary, accommodation and onward travel.
Foreign-guest hotels register you automatically at check-in. If you stay somewhere that is not a registered foreign-guest hotel, you must register with the local police within 24 hours.
Travellers outside both lists apply for a visa in advance through the Chinese embassy or visa centre responsible for their place of residence.
Source-market quick reference
Twenty leading source markets at launch. This narrows which scheme is more likely to apply — it is not an entry decision.
| Country or region | More likely scheme | Stay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States美国 | 240-hour transitMay apply | 240 hours (10 days) | Not on the 30-day visa-free list. The 240-hour transit route works if you continue to a third country and stay inside the covered area. |
| United Kingdom英国 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists. Use the 30-day scheme — it needs no onward ticket and covers most of the mainland. |
| Germany德国 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; the 30-day scheme is the simpler route for a normal holiday. |
| France法国 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme unless you are genuinely in transit. |
| Italy意大利 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; the 30-day scheme applies for tourism, business and family visits. |
| Spain西班牙 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme. |
| Netherlands荷兰 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme. |
| Japan日本 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; the 30-day scheme is the standard route. |
| South Korea韩国 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme. |
| Singapore新加坡 | Mutual exemptionMay apply | 30 days | Covered by a mutual visa-exemption agreement rather than the unilateral list; also eligible for 240-hour transit. |
| Malaysia马来西亚 | Mutual exemptionMay apply | 30 days | Covered by a mutual visa-exemption agreement. |
| Thailand泰国 | Mutual exemptionMay apply | 30 days | Covered by a mutual visa-exemption agreement. |
| Australia澳大利亚 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme for a normal trip. |
| New Zealand新西兰 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme. |
| Canada加拿大 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; the 30-day scheme is simpler than transit. |
| Russia俄罗斯 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme. |
| Brazil巴西 | 30-day visa-freeMay apply | 30 days | On both lists; use the 30-day scheme. |
| United Arab Emirates阿联酋 | 240-hour transitMay apply | 240 hours (10 days) | On the 240-hour transit list, not the 30-day list. A third-country onward ticket is required. |
| Indonesia印度尼西亚 | 240-hour transitMay apply | 240 hours (10 days) | On the 240-hour transit list, not the 30-day list. A third-country onward ticket is required. |
| India印度 | Visa requiredDoes not apply | Per visa issued | On neither list. A visa must be obtained in advance from the Chinese embassy or visa centre for your place of residence. |
Regions the 240-hour transit scheme does not cover
If you enter on the transit scheme, your whole trip must stay inside the covered area. These regions are excluded and need different arrangements.
- Tibet
- Xinjiang
- Gansu
- Qinghai
- Ningxia
- Inner Mongolia
- Jilin
Official sources
- NIA — unilateral visa-free listNational Immigration Administration of China · Chinese · Grade A
- Embassy of China — 240-hour transit eligible countriesMinistry of Foreign Affairs / National Immigration Administration · English · Grade A
- NIA — 240-hour transit policy announcementNational Immigration Administration of China · Chinese · Grade A
- NIA — Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added, 20 August 2026National Immigration Administration of China · English · Grade A
- NIA English portalNational Immigration Administration of China · English · Grade A
- NIA — online arrival cardNational Immigration Administration of China · English · Grade A
- China Consular Service — visas and entryMinistry of Foreign Affairs of China · Chinese / English · Grade A
- Gov.cn — living and working in China (payments, telecom, medical)State Council of China · English · Grade A