Do you need a visa for China?

It depends on your citizenship. 79 countries and territories currently have nationwide visa-free access to mainland China for ordinary passport holders. Citizens of other countries generally need a visa issued before travel, though many are still eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme or for visa-free entry to Hainan Province. Search your country in the checker above to see which applies.

Under the unilateral visa-free scheme the limit is normally 30 days per entry. Countries covered by a mutual visa-exemption treaty have a stay length set by that specific agreement. The 240-hour transit scheme allows up to 10 days, and Hainan visa-free entry allows up to 30 days within Hainan Province.

Travellers from eligible countries can enter mainland China without a visa for up to 240 hours (10 days) provided they hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region and enter and exit through eligible ports. There are currently 65 eligible ports across 24 provincial-level regions, and the area you are permitted to travel in depends on where you enter.

65 ports in 24 provincial-level regions are approved for the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme, including the major international airports in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The full list, with the travel area permitted from each, is in the ports table on this page.

Yes, if you hold a passport from one of the countries on China’s Hainan visa-free list. You can stay up to 30 days, must enter through an open international port in Hainan, and your travel is limited to Hainan Province. It covers tourism, business, family visits and similar purposes, but not employment or formal study.

No. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are separate immigration jurisdictions with their own entry rules, and mainland China’s visa-free and transit policies do not apply to them. Travelling from mainland China into Hong Kong or Macau counts as leaving the mainland — which is why they can serve as the onward destination for a 240-hour transit itinerary.

A passport valid for the length of your stay, proof of onward or return travel, and normally an address for your accommodation in China. Transit travellers must be able to show the confirmed ticket to their third-country destination. Border officers make the final decision on entry in every case.

Every country rule on this page is checked by hand against official sources, principally China’s National Immigration Administration, and each carries its own verification date. Visa policies can change at short notice, so confirm with the official source or your nearest Chinese embassy before booking travel.