How to Visit China Visa-Free? (6 Options)
These days, it's easier than ever to have your dream vacation in China, thanks to several policies that allow you to visit the country without having to apply for a visa in advance. Two of the most convenient options are the 30-day visa-free entry policy and the 10-day visa-free transit policy. Read on to discover which policy is best for you.
Temple of Heaven in Beijing
1. Make Use of the 30-Day Visa-Free Entry Policy
China's 30-day visa-free entry opens up almost all of China, including Tibet and Xinjiang, to tourists from 78 countries. These countries include ones China offers visa-free travel to and ones that have mutual visa-free travel. We've put together a list below.
If you're using this visa-free arrangement, there are a few helpful things to keep in mind:
- This policy is valid for tourism purposes and don't apply to people traveling to China to study, work, or for journalism.
- Your passport validity must cover your entire stay in China, and you must have space for the entry stamp.
- You can travel to China by land, air, or sea.
50 Countries With Visa-Free Travel
| Region | Countries |
| Europe | France, Germany, Italy, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Denmark, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Finland, Slovakia, Monaco, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Norway, Iceland, Russia, Latvia |
| Middle East | Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain |
| Asia | South Korea, Japan, Brunei |
| Oceania | Australia, New Zealand |
| Americas | Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay |
28 Countries With Mutual Visa-Free Agreements
| Region | Countries |
| Asia | Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Maldives, Uzbekistan, Armenia |
| Europe | Georgia, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, San Marino |
| Americas & Islands | Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Ecuador, Suriname, Seychelles |
| Oceania | Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, The Solomon Islands |
2. Take Advantage of the 10-Day Visa-Free Transit Policy
China also offers a 10-day visa-free transit policy, which is excellent for U.S. travelers and transit travelers. While you can visit much of China under this policy, Tibet and Xinjiang are exempt. Take a look at our comprehensive article for more details.
It can be tricky to know if your trip qualifies for China's transit policy, so we recommend that you get in touch with us directly to discuss your specific situation.
The general rule is that if China isn't your ultimate destination but a stop as part of a larger trip, it qualifies. For example, if you're traveling from the United States and passing through Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi'an before heading to Laos, that's a permissible route.
Below are a few more tips to make your journey as smooth as possible.
- You need three months' validity on your passport and an onward ticket booked within 10 days.
- You'll be asked to fill out an arrival card at the airport with details on where you're staying.
- The 10 days start from midnight the day after you arrive.
- You can also use Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan as your final destination when applying for this transit visa-free policy. A sample route using these destinations could be: US – Beijing — Shanghai — Hong Kong — US.
Recommended Tour Itinerary
3. Hainan Visa-Free Policy
Scenery of Hainan island
Hainan is China's southernmost island province and a gorgeous tropical destination full of beautiful beaches and nature. With China's Hainan visa-free policy, you can visit for up to 30 days. Your stay under this specific visa only includes Hainan, but if you're eligible for a 30-day visa-free entry, you can see other parts of the country too. Combining different visas is an excellent way to fully enjoy your vacation stress-free.
We've put together a helpful table of eligible countries below so you can see if you qualify at a glance.
| Region | Countries |
| Americas | United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina |
| Europe | Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, Ukraine |
| Asia | South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Kazakhstan, The Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) |
| Oceania | Australia, New Zealand |
4. Enter China by Cruise Ship
Visiting China by sea is another way to enjoy the country visa-free. China allows cruise travelers to stay for up to 15 days if they arrive through ports in one of the cities listed below.
Beihai, Qingdao, Lianyungang, Haikou, Sanya, Shanghai, Dalian, Zhoushan, Tianjin, Xiamen, Guangzhou.
To enjoy the 15-day visa-free travel, you must meet the following conditions. You can also come to us with any questions or check the official Chinese Visa Application Service Center for additional clarification.
- Travelers must be in a group of 2 people or more.
- These trips need to be organized by an official Chinese travel agency.
- You can only travel in permitted coastal areas and Beijing.
- You have to leave China on the same cruise ship.
5. Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Visa-Free Travel
Aerial view of Hong Kong skyline
Most people can also visit the Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area visa-free for up to 6 days.
This special visa allows you access to one of China's most impressive areas: a 10-city metropolitan area comprised of Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan, Huizhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Zhaoqing, Jiangmen and Shantou.
6. ASEAN Members
If you're traveling from an ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) country, you can visit Xishuangbanna and Guangxi in southern China for up to 6 days without a visa. The trip has to be arranged through a Chinese travel agency, meaning that you can't travel independently in these regions.
Enter Xishuangbanna at the Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport in Jianghong City or the Mohan Highway Port and Mohan Railway Port, both in Mohan Town. To get to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, you will fly through the Guilin Liangjiang International Airport in the city of Guilin.
ASEAN countries are:
Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Cambodia, Brunei, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam.
Recommended Visa-Free Tours
We also have a selection of recommended visa-free tours that take all the stress out of traveling and help you make the most of China's relaxed visa options.
China Visa-free Tour From Beijing to Hong Kong: You can see all the highlights of China on with this tour, including Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Highlights of China with Yunnan: This trip fit perfectly with the 30-day visa free entry policy, it will takes you to all of China's best cultural and natural places, including the Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, and the splendid rice terraces of Yunnan. You'll leave with a deep appreciation for Chinese history and culture.
China Tour With Yangtze Cruise & Chongqing: This trip hits all the high points in Beijing before continuing deeper into the country to Xi'an and culminating with Yangtze river cruise through some of China’s most impressive landscapes.
Take advantage of China's new visa policies with a trip you'll remember forever. Contact us today to get started.
