Visa-free entry to China – current regulations at a glance

published on 19 September 2024 | reading time approx. 6 minutes

Since the end of the pandemic, China has introduced a number of entry facilitation measures. The main aim is to facilitate tourism and business travel, thereby providing a further boost to the Chinese economy. The entry facilitations include temporary visa-free entry, visa-free transit and visa-free short stays for the entire country, as well as visa-free entry to various regions of China, especially for tourist groups. The legal situation is very dynamic, and the regulations are changed frequently and often at very short notice. The following is an overview of the most important entry regulations currently in force.

China-wide visa-free entry for nationals of certain countries »
Visa-free entry to Hainan province »
China-wide entry for 90 days with travel permit »
Visa-free transit at certain border checkpoints »
Visa-free transit at all border checkpoints »
Regional visa-free entry for tourists »
Visa on Arrival »
The Bottom Line »

China-wide visa-free entry for nationals of certain countries

China has extended the short-stay visa-free regime for nationals of 13 countries until 31 December 2025. These are: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and - most recently - Norway.

Nationals of these countries can enter China with their ordinary passports at all border crossing points open to foreigners (air, land, sea) and stay in China for up to 15 days for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends or transit. Singaporean passport holders can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days. At the time of writing, visa-free entry is working well in practice.

The passport must be valid for at least the 15 or 30 days of your stay. However, it is strongly recommended that the passport is valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry to avoid difficulties or, in the worst case, refusal of entry. Other forms of identification are not accepted at the point of entry. It should also be noted that foreigners must register with the police within 24 hours of their arrival in China. This is usually done automatically by hotels. In the case of private accommodation, however, the registration must be done at the local police station, although in some cities (e.g. Shanghai) it is now possible to do the registration online.

No prior registration with a Chinese consular office is required for visa-free entry. Travellers do not have to enter the country directly from their home country, but can enter from any third country. Travellers should, however, take the precaution of carrying documents to prove the purpose of their trip. This could include letters of invitation, flight and hotel bookings or other documents that show the purpose of the visit. Border authorities may check these documents and refuse visa-free entry if there is any doubt about the purpose of the journey.

The 15-day stay ends at midnight on the 15th day after the date of entry. It is only possible to extend the stay for valid reasons. Those wishing to stay longer must still apply for a visa. However, it is generally possible to enter China without a visa several times a year. The number of visa-free visits and the total number of days of stay are not currently limited. However, cumulative stays of more than 90 days are likely to be subject to increased enquiries about the purpose of the trip and may be refused. Activities in China that are not in line with the permitted purpose of travel are not permitted.

Visa-free entry to Hainan province

Citizens of 59 countries can enter Hainan Province for up to 30 days without a visa. This applies to tourist or business visits, family visits, medical treatment, conferences and exhibitions, sports competitions, etc. The policy does not apply to those wishing to enter for work or study purposes. The 59 countries are: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States.

However, a visa or residence permit is required for onward travel to mainland China, or a visa exemption applies as described here.

China-wide entry for 90 days with travel permit

From 10 July 2024, non-Chinese permanent residents of Hong Kong or Macau can apply for a Mainland China travel permit through China Travel Service (Holding) Ltd. This permit is valid for short-term travel such as investment, visiting relatives, tourism, business trips, seminars and exchange programmes. The permit is valid for five years. During this period, the holder may travel to mainland China several times, with each stay not exceeding 90 days. The permit does not entitle the holder to work, study or engage in journalistic activities in Mainland China.

Visa-free transit at certain border checkpoints

Visa-free transit of 72 or 144 hours can be applied for at a total of 38 border checkpoints in 18 provinces of China. The policy applies to citizens of 54 countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Qatar, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Cyprus.

Nationals of these countries may apply to the border police for visa-free transit through China to third countries, provided they have valid international travel documents and valid tickets and seat reservations for onward travel. The border police will process the applications on departure and allow eligible persons to enter the country temporarily. The duration of the stay generally begins at midnight on the day following entry.

It is essential that the onward journey is to a third country and not back to the country of origin.

Visa-free transit at all border checkpoints

China has introduced 24-hour visa-free transit for citizens of all countries in the world. This applies to all border checkpoints in China. Foreign nationals with valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats who wish to travel to third countries or regions via China on international flights, ships or trains are exempt from the visa requirement, provided their stay in China does not exceed 24 hours and they remain within the relevant airports, ports or railway stations. Persons wishing to leave the ports must apply for a temporary entry permit from the border police.

Regional visa-free entry for tourists

To further promote tourism, there are additional visa-free entry options for tourist groups in various regions of China. The main regional visa waiver policies are as follows:

Entry of tourist groups from Hong Kong and Macau

Foreign tourist groups travelling to China from Hong Kong or Macau can enter Guangdong and Hainan Provinces without a visa for up to 144 hours. In Guangdong, this applies to the cities of Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shantou, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai and the entire province of Hainan.

Tourists must first enter the Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Regions before travelling to China. They must also be part of a tour group organised by a travel agency registered in one of the two SARs. An ordinary passport is then sufficient to enter China. The only requirement is that China maintains diplomatic relations with the tourist's country of origin.

Entry for tourist groups from ASEAN countries

Tourist groups consisting of two or more persons from any of the ASEAN countries may enter and exit China via Guilin Airport without a visa, provided that the tourist group is organised and hosted by a local travel agency in China. All members of the tour group must also hold ordinary passports. The ASEAN countries are: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The tourists concerned may stay in the administrative area of Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for a maximum of 144 hours.

Entry of Tourist Groups on Cruise Ships

Foreign tourist groups of at least two persons disembarking in China as part of a cruise ship tour may enter China without a visa for short visits organized and hosted by a Chinese travel agency. Visa-free entry is possible via one of the following cruise ship ports Tianjin, Dalian (Liaoning Province), Shanghai, Lianyungang (Jiangsu Province), Wenzhou and Zhoushan (Zhejiang Province), Xiamen (Fujian Province), Qingdao (Shandong Province), Guangzhou and Shenzhen (Guangdong Province), Beihai (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region), Haikou and Sanya (Hainan Province).

Foreign tourist groups must proceed to the next scheduled port and depart China on the same cruise ship as originally scheduled. The maximum stay in China is 15 days. In addition, foreign tourist groups are allowed to travel within the coastal provinces and to Beijing.

Visa on Arrival

Foreign nationals wishing to enter the country for urgent humanitarian or business reasons, for urgent repair work or for any other important reason may apply for a visa on arrival at border checkpoints. In addition to the passport, documents confirming the authorization of the competent authorities to issue a visa on arrival and other documents supporting and proving the purpose of entry must be presented. A visa on arrival allows a single entry and is valid for a maximum of 30 days.

The Bottom Line

In summary, China offers many ways to enter the country more easily for both tourism and business purposes. However, it is advisable to check the various entry options before travelling and to check the Chinese Embassy or Chinese Visa Application Service Centre websites for the latest regulations, as these can change at short notice.