50+
Countries visa-free
Route 1 · The Big One
30-Day Visa-Free Entry — just show up
China's unilateral visa-free policy now covers more than 50 countries. If yours is on the list, there is nothing to apply for: you board with just a passport (valid 6+ months), land, clear immigration, and you're in for up to 30 days. Tourism, business meetings, family visits — all covered.
30
Days per stay
$0
Application cost
How the 30 days count: from 00:00 of the day after entry. Overstaying brings fines, detention risk and future entry bans — leave before day 31, not "within a month of landing".
Confirmed through December 31, 2026 for the original list, and China has renewed these extensions every cycle since 2024. A handful of newer additions (such as Russia) run on their own trial windows.
The List
Who Can Just Walk In
| Region | Countries (ordinary passports, 30 days) |
|---|---|
| Europe | Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · North Macedonia · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · United Kingdom |
| Asia | Japan · South Korea · Brunei |
| Oceania | Australia · New Zealand |
| Americas | Argentina · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Peru · Uruguay |
| Middle East | Bahrain · Kuwait · Oman · Saudi Arabia |
Bolded: added in the February 17, 2026 expansion. List verified November 2026 — always re-confirm with your airline before booking.
Not on the list: the United States, India, and most of Africa and Latin America still need visas. US travelers — see the transit route below, it may cover you.
Route 2 · For US & Others
The 240-Hour Transit Loophole
Not from a visa-free country? You can still get 10 days in China without a visa if you're transiting. The rules:
- You arrive from one country and continue to a different third country (e.g. USA → Beijing → Tokyo works; USA → Beijing → USA does not)
- You hold a confirmed onward ticket leaving within 240 hours (10 days)
- You enter and exit via one of 65 designated ports — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Kunming and more
- You stay within the provinces approved for your entry port (cross-region maps apply — check before planning multi-province routes)
- You're from one of 57 eligible nationalities — including the US
Ten days is genuinely enough for a first taste: Beijing + Xi'an, or Shanghai + the water towns, or Chengdu + Jiuzhaigou. We've built plenty of trips inside that window.
Route 3 · The Rest
Other Ways In: Bilateral & Visas
| Scheme | Who | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Mutual agreements | Singapore · Thailand · Malaysia · UAE · Qatar and a dozen more | 30 days |
| Regional schemes | Hainan island visa-free (61 countries); cruise-arrival schemes in coastal ports | Up to 30 days |
| Regular visa (L/tourist) | US, India, and all other nationalities | Application required |
The regular tourist visa itself is no longer painful — most embassies and visa centers issue within a week, and 10-year multiple-entry visas are standard for Americans. But with the transit and visa-free options above, most leisure travelers simply never need one.
Quick Answers
Frequently Asked
Can I visit China without a visa in 2026?
Probably, if you hold an ordinary passport from one of the 50+ countries on China's unilateral visa-free list — including the UK, most of the EU, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada and Brazil. Up to 30 days for tourism, business or family visits, with no application at all.
Do US citizens need a visa for China?
Yes — the US is not on the 30-day visa-free list. But US citizens can use the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit when flying between two different countries via China. For ordinary round-trip tourism, a visa through the Chinese embassy or visa center is required; 10-year multiple-entry visas are standard.
How does the 240-hour transit work?
57 nationalities transiting at 65 designated ports get 10 days visa-free, if holding a confirmed onward ticket to a third country different from the origin. Travel is limited to the provinces connected to your entry port.
How is the 30-day stay counted?
From 00:00 of the day after entry. Overstaying risks fines and entry bans — count carefully.
Do children need a visa?
Children with ordinary passports from visa-free countries get the same 30-day entry as adults. Others need their own visa even when traveling with visa-holding parents.