Entry & Visas
Do you need a visa for China? Visa-free entry and 240-hour transit explained
Which passports can enter China without a visa, how the 30-day visa-free entry and the 240-hour transit rule work, and the mistakes that get travellers turned away.
Many travellers no longer need a visa for a short trip to China. Depending on your passport, there are three ways in without one. Pick the one that fits your trip, then check the official list before you book. These rules change several times a year.
Confirm before you fly. The country lists below were last checked on the date at the top of this page. The official source is China’s National Immigration Administration, plus the Chinese embassy in your country.
Option 1: 30-day visa-free entry
Holders of ordinary passports from a list of around 50 countries can enter China for up to 30 days for tourism, business, visiting family or friends, exchanges, or transit. No onward ticket to a third country is required: you can fly in and out of the same place.
The list includes most of the EU, plus the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, among others.
- For most of these countries the policy currently runs until 31 December 2026. Extensions have so far been announced a few weeks before each deadline. If your trip is in 2027, check again closer to the date.
- The United States is not on this list. US citizens can still use the 240-hour transit rule below, or apply for a visa.
- Work, study, and journalism always need a visa.
Option 2: 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit
If your passport is from one of 57 eligible countries (including the US, Canada, the UK, most of Europe, Australia, Japan, and South Korea), you can spend up to 240 hours in China without a visa, as long as you’re travelling on to a third country.
The rules that catch people out:
- Your onward ticket must go to a third country or region, not back where you came from. London → Shanghai → Tokyo works. London → Shanghai → London does not. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as separate regions, so Los Angeles → Beijing → Hong Kong works.
- The ticket must have a confirmed date and seat. An open ticket isn’t enough.
- You must enter and leave through one of the 65 designated ports, and stay within the 24 provinces and cities covered. These include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi (Xi’an), and Guangxi (Guilin).
- The 240 hours start at 00:00 on the day after you enter, so you get the rest of your arrival day for free.
- Tell the airline at check-in that you are using visa-free transit. Airlines check eligibility before you board.
Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan were added on 20 August 2026, bringing the total to 57 countries.
Option 3: Hainan 30-day visa-free entry
Hainan Island, China’s tropical south, has its own scheme: nationals of 61 countries can visit Hainan alone for up to 30 days without a visa.
Which option should you use?
| Your situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Passport on the 30-day list, round-trip flight | 30-day visa-free entry |
| US passport, flying on to a third country within 10 days | 240-hour transit |
| Longer than 30 days, or work or study | Apply for a visa |
| Beach trip to Hainan only | Hainan 30-day entry |
What to have ready at immigration
- A passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages.
- For transit: your printed or saved onward ticket.
- Your first hotel’s address. Hotels register your passport with the local police on check-in, so book somewhere that accepts foreign guests.
Once your entry is sorted, set up mobile payments before you fly. It’s the other thing that can derail a first day in China.
