Visa & Entry

Choose the right China entry path before you book.

A practical entry guide for foreign visitors comparing 30-day visa-free entry, 240-hour transit, tourist visa planning, and arrival card preparation.

Compare Entry Paths Check Official Sources

30 days

Unilateral visa-free stay for listed ordinary passports

240 hours

Transit visa-free stay window for eligible routes

65 ports

Entry ports listed by NIA for 240-hour transit

Jul 2, 2026

Planning snapshot checked for this page

Entry Path Finder

Start with the rule that fits your route.

The safest planning order is nationality, route, purpose, stay length, then documents. If one condition is uncertain, use the next more formal entry path.

Path 01

30-day visa-free entry

Best for eligible ordinary passport holders visiting for tourism, business, family visits, exchange, or transit.

Ordinary passport
Eligible nationality
Purpose fits policy
Stay within 30 days

Path 02

240-hour transit visa-free

Best when mainland China is a stop between two different countries or regions and your route uses approved ports.

Third-country route
Confirmed onward ticket
Approved entry port
Stay within allowed areas

Path 03

Tourist visa before departure

Best for longer stays, ineligible passports, uncertain routes, or trip purposes not covered by visa-free rules.

Visa application form
Passport and photo
Itinerary documents
Embassy or visa center timing

Path 04

Arrival card and border check

Every entry path still needs clean documents, clear trip purpose, and smooth arrival procedures at the port.

Online arrival card
Hotel address
Return or onward proof
Local contact details

30-Day Visa-Free Check

Check the official country list first.

NIA lists 50 countries covered by unilateral visa exemption as of February 17, 2026. Listed ordinary passport holders may enter for approved purposes for up to 30 days, counted from 00:00 on the day after entry.

View source links

Europe

NIA lists 35 countries for unilateral visa-free entry, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Americas

NIA lists Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay for unilateral visa-free entry.

Oceania

NIA lists Australia and New Zealand for unilateral visa-free entry.

Asia

NIA lists Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Republic of Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

Country Checker

Select a passport country to see the entry path.

Results are based on the NIA country lists for ordinary passport holders. Border officers and official policy updates always prevail.

Passport country

Result for

United States of America

30-day unilateral visa-free entry

Not listed

Not on the current NIA 30-day unilateral visa-free list. Check whether another separate agreement applies, otherwise use a visa route.

240-hour visa-free transit

Applies

Listed for 240-hour transit, but your route must be Country/Region A -> mainland China -> Country/Region B through approved ports.

30+ days in China

Use visa route

For stays beyond the visa-free or transit window, use the appropriate visa or residence route before travel.

Applicable Countries

Country lists by continent.

The first list covers NIA's 30-day unilateral visa-free policy. The second list covers the 240-hour transit visa-free policy.

30-day unilateral visa-free countries

50 countries

Europe

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

Russian Federation

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Americas

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Peru

Uruguay

Oceania

Australia

New Zealand

Asia

Bahrain

Brunei Darussalam

Japan

Kuwait

Oman

Republic of Korea

Saudi Arabia

240-hour transit visa-free countries

55 countries

Europe

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

Russian Federation

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Ukraine

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Americas

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Mexico

United States of America

Oceania

Australia

New Zealand

Asia

Brunei Darussalam

Indonesia

Japan

Qatar

Republic of Korea

Singapore

United Arab Emirates

Checked against NIA lists published in 2025-2026. Recheck before ticketing.

240-Hour Transit

Transit works only when the route is structured correctly.

Do not treat transit visa-free as a normal round-trip tourist entry. The core pattern is a confirmed route through mainland China to a third country or region.

Your route is Country or Region A -> mainland China -> Country or Region B.

Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan can count as separate regions for transit routing.

You hold an international travel document valid for at least 3 months.

You have confirmed onward travel within 240 hours, not just a standby plan.

You enter through an approved port and stay inside the permitted area.

Work, study, and reporting activities still require the right visa in advance.

Longer Stays

Need more than 30 days? Use the right visa or residence route.

Visa-free and transit policies are not a substitute for long-stay permission. Pick the visa category by purpose first, then check the Chinese embassy, consulate, or Visa Application Service Center responsible for your place of residence.

Tourist visa

For tourism when visa-free entry does not fit, or when your planned stay needs the duration printed on a visa. Prepare itinerary, hotel bookings, tickets, or an invitation if required.

M / F

Business, trade, visits, exchanges

For commercial activities, meetings, exhibitions, exchanges, visits, or study tours. A Chinese inviter or host organization is usually the key document source.

Work visa

For employment in China. The employer normally prepares the work permit notice. After arrival, the work and residence permit process must be completed locally.

X1 / X2

Study visa

X1 is for study over 180 days and normally requires residence permit handling after entry. X2 is for short-term study of no more than 180 days.

Q / S

Family and private affairs

Q visas are for relatives of Chinese citizens or permanent residents. S visas are commonly for relatives of foreigners working or studying in China, or other private affairs.

J / R / D

Specialized routes

Journalist, high-level talent, and permanent residence routes have stricter supporting documents and should be checked directly with the responsible authority.

Practical application sequence

01
Decide the purpose first: tourism, business, work, study, family, private affairs, journalism, or residence.
02
Check the responsible Chinese embassy, consulate, or Visa Application Service Center for local requirements and appointment rules.
03
Prepare passport, photo, application form, itinerary or invitation, and category-specific approval documents.
04
Submit the application, complete biometrics if required, and confirm processing time before booking non-refundable travel.
05
After approval, check entries, validity, and duration of each stay printed on the visa before departure.
06
For Z, X1, Q1, S1, J1, and similar long-stay routes, handle the local residence permit after arrival as instructed.

Planning notes

Visa centers commonly recommend applying within the 3 months before travel.
A passport with less than 6 months validity may create refusal or entry-risk issues.
Do not work, study, or report news on visa-free entry unless the policy or visa category clearly allows it.

Documents

Prepare proof before the airline counter asks.

Passport with enough validity and blank visa or entry pages.

Flight, train, or ferry tickets showing entry and departure plans.

Hotel name, full address in Chinese or English, and phone number.

Travel insurance, payment apps, backup card, and some cash.

Digital and printed copies of passport, itinerary, booking confirmations, and contacts.

If applying for a visa: application form, compliant photo, and embassy or visa center requirements.

Arrival Flow

Make the first 2 hours in China predictable.

A smoother entry depends on having the same story across airline check-in, arrival card information, border inspection, and hotel registration.

Before flying

Confirm your entry path, complete the arrival card if required, and save official source pages for airline check-in.

At airline check-in

Be ready to explain your route, stay length, hotel address, and onward or return ticket.

At immigration

Use the lane or counter directed by port staff. Transit travelers should ask for temporary entry processing.

After arrival

Keep your entry stamp or temporary entry permit details and make sure accommodation registration is handled.

FAQ

Questions travelers should answer before booking.

Can I enter China visa-free if my country is on the list?+

Usually yes for the listed purposes and stay limit, but you still need an ordinary passport and must satisfy border inspection. Always recheck the NIA list and your local Chinese embassy before booking.

Is 240-hour transit the same as normal tourism visa-free entry?+

No. The transit policy depends on a qualifying third-country route, approved ports, confirmed onward travel, and permitted stay areas.

Can I fly from London to Shanghai and back to London using 240-hour transit?+

That is not a third-country transit route. A simple round trip normally needs visa-free entry eligibility or a visa.

Do I still need an arrival card?+

Many travelers need to submit entry information. NIA introduced online arrival card channels, and ports can also provide on-arrival options.

Should I print documents?+

Yes. Keep offline copies of tickets, hotels, passport, insurance, and official policy pages because airline counters and border checks can ask for proof.

Official Source Check

Use this page as a guide, then verify the live policy.

Entry rules are policy-sensitive. Recheck official pages before buying tickets, especially if your route, passport, purpose, or stay length is unusual.

Choose the right China entry path before you book.

Start with the rule that fits your route.

30-day visa-free entry

240-hour transit visa-free

Tourist visa before departure

Arrival card and border check

Check the official country list first.

Europe

Americas

Oceania

Asia

Select a passport country to see the entry path.

United States of America

30-day unilateral visa-free entry

240-hour visa-free transit

30+ days in China

Country lists by continent.

30-day unilateral visa-free countries

Europe

Americas

Oceania

Asia

240-hour transit visa-free countries

Europe

Americas

Oceania

Asia

Transit works only when the route is structured correctly.

Need more than 30 days? Use the right visa or residence route.

Tourist visa

Business, trade, visits, exchanges

Work visa

Study visa

Family and private affairs

Specialized routes

Practical application sequence

Planning notes

Prepare proof before the airline counter asks.

Make the first 2 hours in China predictable.

Before flying

At airline check-in

At immigration

After arrival

Questions travelers should answer before booking.

Use this page as a guide, then verify the live policy.

NIA unilateral visa-free country list

NIA 10 measures announcement

240-hour transit policy notice

NIA online arrival card