The Short Answer
If you hold an ordinary passport from one of the 50 countries below, you can enter mainland China without a visa and stay for up to 30 days for tourism, business, visiting family or friends, exchanges or transit. You do not need to apply in advance. For most of these countries, the policy currently runs until 31 December 2026.
Sources: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa-free FAQ and the National Immigration Administration notice of 17 February 2026. This policy changes often, so check those two sources again shortly before you book.
Eligible Countries
| Region | Countries |
|---|---|
| Europe (35) | Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom |
| Asia (7) | Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Korea |
| Americas (6) | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay |
| Oceania (2) | Australia, New Zealand |
End dates
| Passport | Policy valid until |
|---|---|
| Brunei | No end date announced |
| Russia | 31 December 2027 |
| The other 48 countries | 31 December 2026 |
The end date applies to your entry. Check the official sources again if your trip starts close to 31 December 2026. China has extended this policy several times, but an extension is only certain once it is officially announced.
Not on the list? United States citizens, for example, are not covered by the 30-day policy. Check whether your trip qualifies for 240-hour visa-free transit instead, or apply for a tourist (L) visa.
What the 30 Days Allow
- Permitted purposes: business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits and transit.
- Not permitted: working, studying, reporting as a journalist or any other activity that needs a different visa. Choose the correct visa from the visa category guide instead.
- Where you can go: anywhere in mainland China that is open to foreign visitors. Unlike 240-hour transit, you are not limited to specific provinces. Some areas still need separate permits; for example, Tibet requires a Tibet Travel Permit arranged through a licensed agency.
- How the days are counted: the 30 days start at 00:00 on the day after you enter. If you arrive on 1 May, day 1 is 2 May.
- Multiple trips: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there is currently no limit on the number of visa-free entries or the total number of days per year, as long as each stay is within 30 days and matches a permitted purpose.
Hong Kong and Macau have their own entry rules. Leaving the mainland for either one is an exit from mainland China. See the Hong Kong and Macau guides.
What to Bring
Immigration officers can ask about your plans, so keep these ready, ideally offline:
- Your ordinary passport, with enough remaining validity for the whole stay. Diplomatic, service and other passport types follow separate agreements.
- Onward or return travel booked within 30 days, such as a flight or train ticket out of mainland China.
- Your first accommodation, with the address in Chinese.
- The arrival card. The free official online arrival card is explained in the arrival and customs guide.
Airlines may also check that you qualify before you board, so make sure your return or onward booking is easy to show.
30-Day Visa-Free Entry, 240-Hour Transit or a Visa?
| 30-day visa-free entry | 240-hour visa-free transit | Tourist (L) visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Passports from the 50 countries above | Passports from 55 countries, including the US | Any nationality |
| Maximum stay | 30 days per entry | 240 hours (10 days) | Printed on the visa |
| Apply in advance | No | No, apply at the port of entry | Yes |
| Where you can travel | Mainland China (separate permits still apply, e.g. Tibet) | Only within 24 designated provincial-level regions | Mainland China (separate permits still apply) |
| Route requirement | None | Must continue to a third country or region | None |
If your passport qualifies for both, the 30-day policy is usually simpler: there is no third-country rule and no regional limit.
Mutual Visa-Exemption Countries
Separately from the 50-country policy, China has mutual visa-exemption agreements with some countries, including Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Under these agreements, ordinary-passport holders can generally stay up to 30 days per entry. Some agreements cover only diplomatic or official passports, so check the official list of mutual visa-exemption agreements for your passport type.
FAQ
Plan your trip within 30 days. If something unexpected requires a longer stay, contact the local exit-entry administration or the 12367 immigration hotline before your permitted stay ends. Do not overstay: overstaying can lead to fines, detention or a future entry ban. For a longer trip, apply for a visa before you travel.
Next Steps
- Check the first-trip checklist for the order of setup steps.
- Set up payments and internet access before you fly.
- Read the arrival and customs guide for the arrival card and luggage rules.