China's visa rules changed more in the last three years than in the previous thirty. Around fifty nationalities now enter visa-free for 30 days. The current list, the passport requirements, and the Hong Kong trap that catches people out.
Do you need a visa?
Quite possibly not. China has expanded visa-free entry dramatically since 2023, and roughly fifty nationalities can now arrive with nothing but a passport and stay 30 days.
The table below reflects the policy as it currently stands. Verify it against the official visa centre for your own nationality before booking — this is the single fastest-changing rule in Chinese travel, and expiry dates get extended (or quietly not extended) with little notice.
| Country | Visa-Free Stay | Policy Valid Until |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Argentina | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Australia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Austria | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Bahrain | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Belgium | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Brazil | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Brunei | 30 Days | No Expiry Date |
| Bulgaria | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Canada | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Chile | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Croatia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Cyprus | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Denmark | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Estonia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Finland | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| France | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Germany | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Greece | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Hungary | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Iceland | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Ireland | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Italy | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Japan | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Kuwait | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Latvia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Liechtenstein | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Luxembourg | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Malta | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Monaco | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Montenegro | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Netherlands | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| New Zealand | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| North Macedonia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Norway | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Oman | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Peru | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Poland | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Portugal | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Republic of Korea | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Romania | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Russia | 30 Days | September 14, 2026 |
| Saudi Arabia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Slovakia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Slovenia | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Spain | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Sweden | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Switzerland | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| United Kingdom | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
| Uruguay | 30 Days | Dec 31, 2026 |
Not on the list? Then you’ll need a visa in advance, applied for through the Chinese visa centre serving your country. The tourist (L) visa is the standard route and typically takes four to seven working days.
What your passport needs
For visa-free entry, the baseline is:
- Six months’ validity remaining, minimum
- Blank pages for the entry stamp
- A return or onward ticket — sometimes checked
- An address or rough itinerary — occasionally requested
The last two depend entirely on the officer at the desk. Some ask for proof of onward travel and a first night’s accommodation; many don’t ask for anything beyond the passport.
If you’re planning to leave overland — into Vietnam at Dongxing, Kazakhstan at Khorgos, or Russia at Heihe — you won’t have a departure flight, and that’s normally fine. Plenty of travellers enter this way. Having the onward bus or train booked, and being able to show it, removes any ambiguity.
Hong Kong and Macau: the trap
Both are part of China and both run their own immigration systems. That combination catches people out constantly.
If you need a visa for the mainland, going to Hong Kong or Macau counts as leaving it. A single-entry visa is spent the moment you cross, and you will not be readmitted. Any itinerary shaped like:
- Mainland → Hong Kong → mainland
- Mainland → Macau → mainland
needs a double-entry or multiple-entry visa. Sort it before you fly; you cannot fix it from the Shenzhen border.
If you enter the mainland visa-free, the rules differ by nationality — some reset the 30-day clock on re-entry, some don’t. Check yours specifically rather than assuming.
Both territories are worth the detour: see Hong Kong and Macau.
Restricted areas
A visa gets you into the country, not into every corner of it. Tibet requires a separate permit and an organised tour, and a number of border zones need local permission. The full picture is in where foreigners can’t go.
Once you’re in, our first-timer’s guide covers the rest of the setup.
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