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Key facts, verified

China visa-free options by nationality
Nationality30-day visa-free entry240-hour visa-free transitHainan 30-day
Albania✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)✓✓
Andorra✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Antigua and Barbuda✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Argentina✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Armenia✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Australia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Austria✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Azerbaijan✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Bahamas✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Bahrain✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Barbados✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Belarus✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)✓✓
Belgium✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Bosnia and Herzegovina✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)✓✓
Brazil✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Brunei✓ 30 days · no end date set✓✓
Bulgaria✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Canada✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Chile✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Croatia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Cyprus✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Czechia—✓✓
Denmark✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Dominica✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Estonia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Fiji✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Finland✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
France✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Georgia✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Germany✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Greece✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Grenada✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Hungary✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Iceland✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Indonesia—✓✓
Ireland✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Italy✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Japan✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Kazakhstan✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)—✓
Kuwait✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Kyrgyzstan—✓✓
Latvia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Liechtenstein✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Lithuania—✓✓
Luxembourg✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Malaysia✓ 30 days · mutual agreement, 90 days per 180—✓
Maldives✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Malta✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Mauritius✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Mexico—✓✓
Monaco✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Montenegro✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Netherlands✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
New Zealand✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
North Macedonia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Norway✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Oman✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Peru✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Philippines——✓
Poland✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Portugal✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Qatar✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)✓✓
Romania✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Russia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2027✓✓
Samoa✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
San Marino✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Saudi Arabia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Serbia✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)✓✓
Seychelles✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Singapore✓ 30 days · mutual agreement✓✓
Slovakia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Slovenia✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Solomon Islands✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
South Korea✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Spain✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Suriname✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Sweden✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Switzerland✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
Thailand✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)—✓
Tonga✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Ukraine—✓✓
United Arab Emirates✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)✓✓
United Kingdom✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026✓✓
United States—✓✓
Uruguay✓ 30 days · until Dec 31, 2026——
Uzbekistan✓ Visa-free (mutual agreement — check terms)——
Vietnam—✓✓
24-hour direct transit (staying within the port's restricted area) is available to travelers of all nationalities. If your country is not listed, you will generally need a visa — confirm with a Chinese embassy or visa application center before booking.
Source: visaforchina.cn · Verified: 2026-08-22
Visa-free transit: entry ports and permitted areas
Province / municipalityEntry portsPermitted stay area
BeijingBeijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Daxing International Airport		Entire municipality
TianjinTianjin Binhai International Airport
Tianjin Port (passenger terminal)		Entire municipality
HebeiShijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport
Qinhuangdao Port (passenger terminal)		Entire province
LiaoningShenyang Taoxian International Airport
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
Dalian Port (passenger terminal)		Entire province
ShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Shanghai Port (passenger terminal)		Entire municipality
JiangsuNanjing Lukou International Airport
Sunan Shuofang International Airport (Wuxi)
Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport
Lianyungang Port (passenger terminal)		Entire province
ZhejiangHangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
Ningbo Lishe International Airport
Wenzhou Longwan International Airport
Yiwu Airport
Wenzhou Port (passenger terminal)
Zhoushan Port (passenger terminal)		Entire province
AnhuiHefei Xinqiao International Airport
Huangshan Tunxi International Airport		Entire province
FujianFuzhou Changle International Airport
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport
Wuyishan Airport
Xiamen Port (passenger terminal)		Entire province
ShandongJinan Yaoqiang International Airport
Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
Yantai Penglai International Airport
Weihai Dashuibo International Airport
Qingdao Port (passenger terminal)		Entire province
HenanZhengzhou Xinzheng International AirportEntire province
HubeiWuhan Tianhe International AirportEntire province
HunanChangsha Huanghua International Airport
Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport		Entire province
GuangdongGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
Nansha Port (passenger terminal)
Shekou Port (passenger terminal)
Pazhou Ferry Terminal (Guangzhou)
Zhongshan Port Ferry Terminal
Hengqin Port (Zhuhai)
Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Zhuhai Port
West Kowloon Station (Hong Kong high-speed rail)		Entire province
HainanHaikou Meilan International Airport
Sanya Phoenix International Airport		Entire province
ChongqingChongqing Jiangbei International AirportEntire municipality
GuizhouGuiyang Longdongbao International AirportEntire province
ShaanxiXi'an Xianyang International AirportEntire province
ShanxiTaiyuan Wusu International AirportOnly: Taiyuan, Datong
HeilongjiangHarbin Taiping International AirportOnly: Harbin
JiangxiNanchang Changbei International AirportOnly: Nanchang, Jingdezhen
GuangxiNanning Wuxu International Airport
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
Beihai Fucheng Airport
Beihai Port (passenger terminal)		Only: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, Laibin
SichuanChengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport		Only: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, Ziyang
YunnanKunming Changshui International Airport
Lijiang Sanyi International Airport
Mohan Railway Port (Laos border)		Only: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang
65 entry ports across 24 provinces and municipalities. You can travel across provinces, but must stay within the permitted areas listed.
Source: nia.gov.cn · Verified: 2026-08-23

Common questions

Do I need a visa to visit China?

It depends on your passport. Check the nationality table above: if your country is listed, short tourist stays are visa-free within the limit shown; if not, you apply for a tourist (L) visa before you travel. Start with Do you need a visa for China?.

What is the 240-hour visa-free transit, and can I use it?

If you are travelling on to a third country or region and hold a passport from an eligible country, you can enter through the listed ports and stay in the permitted areas for up to 240 hours without a visa. Eligibility, ports and the rules that trip people up are in the visa-free transit guide.

Where do I apply for a China visa, and how long does it take?

You fill in the online application form, then submit your passport and documents at a China Visa Application Service Center or embassy. Processing time and fees depend on your nationality and the service level you choose — the step-by-step is in How to apply for a China visa.

What do I need to do before and at arrival?

The foreigner arrival card can now be filled in online before you land, and you then go through immigration and customs like anywhere else. What to prepare, what officers ask, and what you can bring are covered in Arriving in China: immigration and customs.