China Visa-Free Entry Overview: Which Policy Fits Your Trip?
China now has several visa-free entry options: 24-hour transit visa exemption, 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit, 30-day unilateral visa-free entry, and mutual visa exemption agreements for ordinary passport holders from some countries. They sound similar, but the rules are different.
Use this page as the starting point. Before departure, always verify your case with the National Immigration Administration, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China Consular Service, the Chinese embassy or consulate in your departure country, and your airline.
Last policy verification: July 30, 2026. The unilateral country list and validity dates, the 240-hour transit country/port totals, and the ordinary-passport mutual-agreement source were checked against the official pages linked below.
Start With This Decision Table
| Your situation | Read first | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| You only transit China and leave within 24 hours | 24-hour transit visa exemption | Usually applies within the port area; leaving the port area requires a temporary entry permit. |
| You travel from one country/region to China, then onward to a third country/region | 10-day transit guide | China must be a transit stop, and you need confirmed onward tickets. |
| China is your main destination for tourism, business, family visit, exchange, or transit | 30-day visa-free guide | Applies to ordinary passport holders from eligible unilateral visa-free countries. |
| Your passport country has a mutual visa exemption agreement with China for ordinary passports | mutual visa exemption guide | Check passport type, allowed stay, cumulative stay, and travel purpose. |
| None of the above applies, or you plan to work, study, reside long term, or conduct restricted activities | Apply for a visa | Apply for the visa type matching your purpose before travel. |
The Four Visa-Free Options
Applicable-country and entry-route summary
| Policy | Who may use it | Stay | Where you may enter | Detailed country list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day unilateral visa-free entry | Ordinary passport holders from 50 designated countries | Up to 30 days per entry | Chinese ports open to foreign travelers, subject to border inspection | 50-country table |
| Ordinary-passport mutual exemption | Ordinary passport holders covered by a bilateral agreement | Agreement-specific; often 30 days per stay | Ports open to international travelers, subject to the agreement | Ordinary-passport agreement table |
| 240-hour visa-free transit | Citizens of 55 designated countries with a qualifying third-country/region itinerary | Up to 240 hours | 65 designated ports; travel only within permitted areas in 24 provincial-level regions | 55-country and port tables |
| 24-hour visa-free transit | Foreign travelers meeting the worldwide transit conditions | Up to 24 hours | All open exit-entry ports; leaving the restricted port area requires a temporary entry permit | NIA rules summarized below |
24-Hour Transit Visa Exemption
All of China's open ports implement a 24-hour transit visa exemption for eligible foreign travelers. You need valid international travel documents and confirmed onward tickets by aircraft, vessel, or train to a third country or region.
If you stay for no more than 24 hours and do not leave the designated port area, a visa is generally not required. If you need to leave the port area, apply for a temporary entry permit at the port immigration authority.
240-Hour (10-Day) Visa-Free Transit
The 240-hour policy is for travelers using China as a transit stop. Citizens of 55 eligible countries may enter through 65 ports in 24 provincial-level regions and stay within the allowed areas for no more than 240 hours.
This is not the same as a regular 10-day China holiday. Your route must be “origin country/region → China → third country/region.” For example, United States → Beijing → Shanghai → South Korea may work as a transit route; Hong Kong → Beijing → Hong Kong usually does not meet the third-country/region requirement.
For eligible countries, ports, allowed regions, and route examples, read the 10-day transit guide.
30-Day Unilateral Visa-Free Entry
The 30-day policy is better for travelers who make China their main destination. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs FAQ, ordinary passport holders from countries including Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Russia, Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom may enter China visa-free for business, tourism, family/friends visits, exchange visits, or transit for no more than 30 days.
Validity matters: Russia's ordinary-passport visa-free policy is currently effective until December 31, 2027; for most other unilateral visa-free countries, the policy is effective until December 31, 2026, while Brunei has a separate long-standing arrangement. See the 30-day visa-free guide for the country list and travel notes.
Mutual Visa Exemption for Ordinary Passports
Mutual visa exemption is based on bilateral agreements between China and other countries. There is no single universal stay period. Each agreement may define its own passport types, allowed stay, cumulative stay, and travel purposes.
Many agreements apply only to diplomatic, service, official, or special passports and do not help ordinary tourists. Ordinary passport travelers should confirm that the agreement explicitly covers ordinary passports. See the mutual visa exemption guide.
Which Policy Should You Use?
| Policy | Best for | Third-country/region itinerary required? | Typical stay | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day unilateral visa-free entry | Travelers whose main destination is China | No | Up to 30 days | Passport country not eligible, or purpose outside the permitted scope. |
| 10-day visa-free transit | Travelers passing through China to a third country/region | Yes | Up to 240 hours | Route, entry port, or allowed area does not meet the rules. |
| Mutual visa exemption | Travelers whose ordinary passport is covered by a bilateral agreement | Usually no | Depends on the agreement | Agreement does not cover ordinary passports or cumulative stay is exceeded. |
| 24-hour transit visa exemption | Short transit passengers | Yes | Up to 24 hours | Leaving the port area without a temporary entry permit. |
If you qualify for multiple policies, choose based on your actual itinerary. For a normal round-trip China journey, first check the 30-day visa-free policy or mutual visa exemption. For a multi-country itinerary with China as a stopover, focus on the 10-day transit policy. For a short airport layover, check the 24-hour transit rules.
Documents to Prepare
Even if you are visa-free, you should be ready to explain your trip. Prepare:
- A valid ordinary passport with sufficient remaining validity.
- Return tickets or confirmed onward tickets.
- Hotel bookings, local contact information, or invitation details.
- A clear itinerary showing cities, dates, and departure arrangements.
- For transit visa exemption, proof that you are traveling onward to a third country or region.
- For mutual visa exemption, a saved copy or screenshot of the relevant official agreement page.
Document requirements by policy
| Policy | Core documents to carry |
|---|---|
| Unilateral 30-day entry | Eligible ordinary passport; accommodation or host details; return/onward arrangements; evidence matching tourism, business, family/friends visit, exchange or transit |
| Mutual exemption | Passport type covered by the agreement; return/onward arrangements; accommodation or host details; evidence of permitted purpose; record of cumulative stay if the agreement uses a 90-in-180-day limit |
| 240-hour transit | Eligible passport/travel document; confirmed onward ticket with date and seat to a third country or region; accommodation and permitted-area itinerary |
| 24-hour transit | Valid international travel document; confirmed international connecting ticket to a third country or region; temporary entry permit if leaving the restricted port area |
Airlines may check your visa-free eligibility before boarding. If your route is complicated, contact the airline and destination port in advance.
Entry permission is only the first part of preparation. Before departure, set up a working payment method, mobile data and a local contact channel using our practical China payment and internet guide. Keep an international card, some RMB cash and offline copies of your bookings as backups.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Treating the 10-day transit policy as a regular 10-day China visit
The 240-hour transit policy requires a qualifying transit route. China should be the stopover, not simply the round-trip destination.
Mistake 2: Assuming the 30-day policy applies to every passport
It does not. The unilateral 30-day policy applies only to eligible ordinary passport holders, and the list and validity period may change.
Mistake 3: Assuming mutual visa exemption always helps ordinary tourists
Not always. Many bilateral agreements cover only diplomatic or official passport categories. Ordinary travelers must check whether ordinary passports are covered.
Mistake 4: Thinking visa-free means guaranteed entry
Border inspection authorities may still check your documents, purpose of stay, itinerary, and departure arrangements. Keep your documents clear and consistent.
Trip Ideas for Visa-Free Travelers
- First-time China, 7-10 days: Beijing + Xi'an + Shanghai, suitable for 10-day transit or 30-day visa-free travelers.
- Short stay, 3-5 days: Beijing in depth, Shanghai and nearby cities, or Chengdu pandas and Dujiangyan.
- Nature-focused route: Zhangjiajie, Guilin, or Wulong near Chongqing.
- Mutual visa exemption travelers: Plan around the exact stay limit in the bilateral agreement and avoid overstaying.
Official Sources
- National Immigration Administration: 24-hour and 240-hour visa-free transit policy interpretation
- National Immigration Administration: 65 ports, 55 countries and online Arrival Card notice
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs / China Consular Service: FAQs on unilateral visa-free entry
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Canada and United Kingdom policy effective February 17–December 31, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Russia policy extended through December 31, 2027
- China Consular Service: Mutual visa exemption agreement list, updated May 29, 2026
How these visa-free pages are separated
To avoid mixing different legal conditions, this overview targets the broad question “Which China visa-free policy applies?” The supporting pages have separate search and content roles:
- 30-day unilateral entry: country eligibility, policy validity, allowed purposes and stay calculation.
- 240-hour transit: third-country route rules, 55 eligible nationalities, 65 entry ports and permitted travel areas.
- Mutual visa exemption: bilateral agreements that explicitly cover ordinary passports.
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