For most of the world,
there's no visa anymore.
China's unilateral visa-free program now covers 38+ countries for 30 days of tourism. A separate 240-hour transit program covers the rest — including the US, UK, and Canada — as long as you're flying onward to a third country.
Visa-free entry
If your passport is on this list, you can walk into China for up to 30 days for tourism, business, transit, or family visits. No application, no fee. Just a return ticket and a passport with 6+ months validity.
- Austria
- Australia
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
Transit visa-free
55 more countries get a 10-day (240-hour) transit window. The critical catch: you must be flying through China to a third country — e.g. London → Beijing → Tokyo. A round-trip (London → Beijing → London) does not qualify.
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Brunei
- Russia
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Chile
- Argentina
- Türkiye
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Iceland
- Albania
- Bosnia
- Serbia
- Ukraine
- Belarus
- Kazakhstan
- and 33 more
A few things worth knowing
The 240-hour clock starts at midnight
Not at landing. Your 240 hours begin at 00:00 the day after you arrive — so if you land at 9 PM Monday, your clock starts Tuesday.
You can move between cities
Transit-free travelers can now move freely between 60 entry/exit ports across 24 provinces. You're no longer pinned to one city.
Stay longer? Apply ahead
If you want more than 30 days, or you're working or studying, you'll need a regular visa from your nearest Chinese consulate. Allow 2–4 weeks.
Last updated: 2026. Source: China National Immigration Administration; China Briefing. Policies have been expanding rapidly — double-check the latest at your nearest Chinese embassy before you book.