Visa waiver program
Between 30 November 2024 and 31 December 2025, China is trialing a 30-day visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders of certain countries for tourism, business, family visits, exchange and transit.
On 1 June 2025, the policy expanded to include Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, and on 9 June 2025, to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, bringing the total to 47 countries. As a result, travel interest from the GCC spiked, with Wego reporting a surge in GCC searches after China’s visa easing.
Travelers who overstay or use the exemption for other purposes must obtain a visa. The full list of countries is as follows:
Europe (32 countries)
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, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland.
Oceania (2 countries)
Australia, New Zealand.
Asia (8 countries)
Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Korea.
South America (5 countries)
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
If your nationality appears in more than one section of this guide, follow the specific rules of the program you intend to use (for example, 240-hour transit vs. 30-day visa-free visit). Always confirm the latest conditions with the NIA.
Mutual visa exemptions
China maintains mutual visa exemption agreements with 150+ countries, typically covering diplomatic, official or service passports. A limited set of ordinary-passport exemptions exists (below). Always verify the scope, stay length and document type in the NIA.
Ordinary-passport visa-free cases
Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan* (designated tour groups), Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, Qatar, Russia* (designated tour groups), San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan* (designated tour groups), United Arab Emirates.
*Tour-group restrictions apply.
Visa-free transit
24-hour transit
- Who qualifies: Most passport holders traveling to a third country/region.
- Time limit: Enter and depart within 24 hours of arrival.
- Practical note: Inspection and transfer procedures vary by airport and itinerary. Some hubs support airside transfers without formal entry; others require immigration processing. Confirm with your airline and the airport before travel.
Example: London to Shanghai (Pudong) to Sydney within 24 hours on one ticket.
240-hour (10-day) transit
- Who qualifies: Nationals of 55 countries in transit to a third country/region with a confirmed onward ticket.
- Where available: 60 ports across 24 provinces/regions in China. Stay is restricted to permitted areas.
- Time limit: Up to 240 hours.
- Documents: Valid passport, onward ticket, and any required entry for the third country.
Eligible countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States.
Examples
- Tokyo to Shanghai to Bangkok, depart within the allowed time, and remain within the allowed area.
- Paris to Guangzhou to Kuala Lumpur, onward within the allowed time.
Conditional visa-free entry
Pearl River Delta (tour groups)
- Who qualifies: Nationals of countries with diplomatic relations with China, traveling as tour groups organized by registered Hong Kong or Macao agencies.
- Cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou.
- Duration: Up to 6 days.
- Entry/exit: The group must depart from Hong Kong or Macao, and activities are limited to the designated cities.
(See: NIA regional policies, Guangdong and Shantou entries)
Hainan (30-day visa-free)
- Who qualifies: Citizens of 59 countries.
- Duration: Up to 30 days.
- Movement: Travel is allowed within Hainan Province.
- Entry: Direct arrivals from outside Mainland China (including Hong Kong) via an international port in Hainan.
Eligible countries:
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States.
(See: NIA regional policies, Hainan entry)
Guilin (tour groups, ASEAN)
- Who qualifies: Tour groups of two or more from the 10 ASEAN countries, hosted by a Guilin-registered agency.
- Entry/exit: Guilin Liangjiang International Airport only.
- Duration: Up to 6 days; stay limited to Guilin.
(See: NIA regional policies, Guilin entry)
APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)
- Purpose: Business travel.
- Stay per entry: Up to 60 days.
- Requirement: Passport valid for the entire stay and ABTC with “CHN” listed.
Cruise tourists
- Who qualifies: Foreign tourist groups (two or more) organized by Chinese travel agencies arriving by cruise.
- Ports covered (13 cities): Beihai, Dalian, Guangzhou, Haikou, Lianyungang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Sanya, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Zhoushan, Tianjin.
- Duration: Up to 15 days.
- Movement: Restricted to coastal areas/municipalities/autonomous regions and Beijing.
- Same-ship rule: All group members must arrive and depart on the same ship.
Required documents
- A passport with at least 6 months’ validity.
- Confirmed onward or return ticket as required by your chosen program (transit usually requires third-country onward travel).
- Accommodation proof (if requested).
- Sufficient funds (if requested).
- Tour group confirmation, if applicable.
- Travel insurance.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Do I need a hotel booking for transit? Sometimes. Bring proof of stay if you plan to leave the airport.
Can I re-enter on visa-free within 30 days? Only if you meet the conditions each time and your nationality is still eligible.
Does a return ticket count as onward travel for transit? Usually no. Transit typically requires an onward ticket to a third country/region.
Can I switch from transit to a visa-free visit after arrival? No. You must meet the chosen program’s rules upon entry.