Unilateral visa exemption · 30 days
Ordinary passports from 50 countries for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit. 48 countries through 2026-12-31, Russia through 2027-12-31, Brunei open-ended.
Entry rules and practical advice for foreign visitors
Check whether you can enter visa-free before booking flights and hotels. Rules vary by date, passport type, purpose and permitted area; this site does not decide admission.
240-hour transit visa exemption · 10 days
Ordinary passports from 57 countries with a dated connecting ticket to a third country or region, staying only in permitted areas.
24-hour transit visa exemption
Available to all nationalities without leaving the designated port area. Apply for a temporary entry permit if you need to leave it.
Port visa
For urgent travel when there is no time for an embassy visa, at 99 ports in 73 cities. Pre-declaration is recommended; this is not unconditional visa-on-arrival.
Which rule applies to your passport?
| Country / region | 30-day exemption | 240-hour transit | Hainan 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
 France | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Germany | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Italy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Netherlands | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Spain | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Switzerland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Ireland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Hungary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Austria | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Belgium | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Luxembourg | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Poland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Slovenia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Portugal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Greece | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Cyprus | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Slovakia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Norway | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Finland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Denmark | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Iceland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Andorra | Yes | No | No |
 Monaco | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Liechtenstein | Yes | No | No |
 Bulgaria | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Romania | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Croatia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Montenegro | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 North Macedonia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Malta | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Estonia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Latvia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Russia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Sweden | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Czechia | No | Yes | Yes |
 Lithuania | No | Yes | Yes |
 Ukraine | No | Yes | Yes |
 Serbia | No | Yes | Yes |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | No | Yes | Yes |
 Albania | No | Yes | Yes |
 Belarus | No | Yes | Yes |
 United States | No | Yes | Yes |
 Canada | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Brazil | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Mexico | No | Yes | Yes |
 Argentina | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Chile | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Peru | Yes | No | No |
 Uruguay | Yes | No | No |
 Australia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 New Zealand | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Brunei | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 South Korea | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Japan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 Saudi Arabia | Yes | No | No |
 Oman | Yes | No | No |
 Kuwait | Yes | No | No |
 Bahrain | Yes | No | No |
 Singapore | No | Yes | Yes |
 United Arab Emirates | No | Yes | Yes |
 Qatar | No | Yes | Yes |
 Indonesia | No | Yes | Yes |
 Vietnam | No | Yes | Yes |
 Kyrgyzstan | No | Yes | Yes |
 Malaysia | No | No | Yes |
 Thailand | No | No | Yes |
 Kazakhstan | No | No | Yes |
 Philippines | No | No | Yes |
Confirm before departure
- Use an ordinary passport valid throughout your stay. Travel documents, temporary or emergency documents are not eligible for visa-free entry.
- Carry a return/connecting ticket, hotel booking and evidence matching your purpose. Work, study and journalism are not visa-free activities.
- The 30 days start at 00:00 on the day after entry. Apply for a visa before a longer stay, or a stay permit after entry.
- Regional and group exemptions have area and same-group entry/exit restrictions.
Practical advice after arrival
- Hotels handle accommodation registration. For a private home or unregistered lodging, confirm the current requirement with 12367.
- Alipay and WeChat can accept foreign cards, but keep some RMB cash and a card that works at ATMs.
- Prepare an eSIM or tourist SIM and download offline maps and Chinese language packs.
- Police 110 · Ambulance 120 · Fire 119 · Traffic 122 · Immigration 12367 · Consular protection +86-10-12308.
Useful apps and download links
微信 WeChat
Payments, chat and mini programs for tickets, rides and food ordering
Link Visa or Mastercard for QR payments; lower limits may apply to foreign cards.
支付宝 Alipay
Payments, Tour Pass top-ups, ride-hailing and ticket mini programs
Supports foreign cards and the Tour Pass prepaid option.
高德地图 AMap Global
Navigation, public transport and ride-hailing
English interface available; comprehensive coverage across China.
百度地图 Baidu Maps
Navigation, public transport and walking routes in scenic areas
Interface is primarily Chinese.
滴滴出行 DiDi China
Ride-hailing, taxis and shared rides
Register with an international phone number and link a foreign card; English interface available.
Trip.com 携程国际版
Flights, hotels, trains, attraction tickets and itineraries
Full English service; book high-speed rail without using 12306.
铁路12306
Official China Railway ticketing, with an English interface
No official Google Play package; use 12306.cn or book through Trip.com.
美团 Meituan
Food delivery, hotels, tickets and shared bikes
Chinese interface; a local phone number helps for food delivery.
微软翻译 Microsoft Translator
Offline packs and conversation translation
Download Chinese packs for the most reliable offline use in China.
Pleco 汉语词典
Offline Chinese-English dictionary and handwriting lookup
Useful for menus and road signs.
小红书 Xiaohongshu
Destination guides, restaurants and local recommendations
Primarily Chinese content; useful for shortlisting places.