Please note that the information provided here is for reference purposes only. Ensure you verify any related information directly from the official resource to avoid any misinformation or understandings: https://www.mct.gov.cn/

Overview of Chinese Visas

China offers multiple visa-free travel policies to foreigners, enabling people from a wide range of countries to visit China on a short-term basis.

Table of Contents

Do I need a visa?

For UK passport holders, until 31 December 2026, you can enter Mainland China visa free for stays of up to 30 days for business, tourism, family or friend visits or transit.

If you travel to China for any other reason (this includes paid work, long-term assignments, journalism, or study) or for a stay exceeding 30 days, you must apply for a visa before your trip to China.

If you have any doubt about your eligibility, verify the conditions for visa free entry with the Chinese Embassy in London. If you visit China without the appropriate visa or visa free access you will be refused entry. Holders of Emergency Travel Documents are not allowed to enter China without a visa.

Please note, Visa requirements for Hong Kong and Macao are different. Please do check your visa status with local immigration authorities before travel to these areas.

Visa-free options available for travellers visiting China

1. Countries with mutual visa exemption agreements with China

China has signed agreements on mutual visa exemption with a few countries, which enable certain citizens to travel to China without a visa.

Citizens from these countries are generally allowed to travel to China without a visa for a single stay of up to 30 days or a cumulative stay of no more than 90 days within any 180 days for the purposes of tourism, travel, business, and visiting family or friends:

United Arab Emirates, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Georgia, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Mauritius, Serbia, Seychelles, San Marino, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Singapore, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Samoa, Azerbaijan, Malaysia

For stays exceeding 30 days, cumulative stays surpassing 90 days within 180 days, or activities such as employment, study, residence, or journalism that require prior approval from the competent authorities of the host party, an appropriate visa must be obtained before entering China.

2. Countries enjoying unilateral visa-free travel to China

Currently, China offers unilateral visa-free travel to below 50 countries:

Europe (35 countries): Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand

Asia (7 countries): Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia

Americas (6 countries): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay

Note: Nationals of the above countries holding ordinary passports may enter China visa-free for business, tourism, visits to relatives and friends, exchange visits, or transit, for stays of up to 30 days. The duration of stay is calculated from 00:00 on the day following the date of entry.

Note: Citizens from these countries would also have had to apply for a visa in advance if they: 

  • Expect to stay in China for more than 30 days; or
  • Intend to study, work, settle down, or attend an interview in China.

3. 24/240-hour visa-free transit

China allows eligible travellers from certain countries to enter and stay in certain areas of China for 24 or 240-hour periods without prior application for a visa when transiting to a third country:

  • 24 Schengen Agreement Countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
  • 16 Other European Countries: Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Monaco, Norway
  • Americas: United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
  • Oceania: United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
  • Asia: South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia

Note: Upon arrival, travellers should find the 240-hour visa-free counter at the immigration inspection to apply for the stay permit, which will be stamped in your passport indicating the maximum length of stay.

Note: Visa-free transit travellers may engage in tourism, business, exchange visits, or family visits. Activities such as work, study, or news reporting still require prior approval and appropriate visas.

Note: This policy applies to travellers arriving in China via 60 eligible ports across 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government). Please check Chinese government’s announcements for details before your trip.

4. Foreign Tourist Groups Traveling by Cruise Ships

Effective immediately, any foreign tourist group consisting of two individuals or more arriving on a cruise ship for a trip organized and handled by a Chinese travel agency may enter as a whole into China without visas at one of the cruise ports located in the 13 following cities:

  • 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
  • Sanya (Hainan Province)

All foreign tourist groups under this circumstance are obliged to continue their journey to the next scheduled port and depart from China by the same cruise ship as scheduled. Visitors may remain in China for a maximum of 15 days. In addition, foreign tourist groups are permitted to travel within the coastal provinces (including autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) and Beijing.

Types of Visas to visit China

Please note that the information provided here is for reference purposes only. Should you have any question, please contact China National Immigration Administration, local Chinese Embassies or Consulates, or China Visa Application Service Centre.

Main purpose of visiting China Type of visa Types of Visa Description
Tourism L
  • Tourism
  • Independent tourist
Exchange, visits, study tours or other relevant activities F
  • Academic exchanges
  • Cultural exchanges (e.g. a non-profit performance)
  • Religious exchanges
  • NGO activities
  • Volunteering (90 days or less)
  • Foreign expert with pre-approved letters of invitation
  • Geographic surveying and mapping activities
Commercial trade M
  • Trade
  • Participation in Competition(s)
  • Other commercial activities
Family member or relative of Chinese citizen(s) or foreigner(s) with permanent residence status in China (more than 180 days) Q1
  • Family member of Chinese citizen applying for residence in China for family reunion
  • Family member of foreigner(s) with permanent residence status in China who is applying for residence in China for a family reunion
  • Residence visa for child to be fostered in China
Family member or relative of Chinese citizen(s) or foreigner(s) with permanent residence status in China (no more than 180 days) Q2
  • Relative of Chinese citizen(s) living in China applying for a visa for visit less than 180 days
  • Relative of foreigner(s) with permanent residence status in China applying for a visa for visit less than 180 days
Family member of foreigner(s) staying or residing in China or person who needs to come to China for personal matters (more than 180 days) S1
  • Spouse, parent, child under the age of 18 or parent-in-law of foreigner(s) residing in China for work, study or other purposes who visit China for 180 days or more
  • Person who needs to reside in China for other personal matters
Family member of foreigner(s) staying or residing in China or person who needs to come to China for personal matters (no more than 180 days) S2
  • Family member of foreigner(s) staying or residing in China for work, study or other purposes who visit China for less than 180 days
  • Applying for a visa to stay in China for other personal matters, such as handling litigation, inheritance, real estate or medical treatment
Work Z
  • Foreign expert working in China
  • For commercial performance
  • Chief representative or representative of a foreign company
  • Offshore oil operations
  • Volunteering (more than 90 days)
  • Foreigner working in China with a Work Permit issued by the Chinese government
Long term study (more than 180 days) X1
  • Long term study (more than 180 days)
Short term study (no more than 180 days) X2
  • Short term study (no more than 180 days)
Resident foreign journalist of permanent office of a foreign news agency in China J1
  • Resident foreign journalist of permanent office of a foreign news agency in China
Foreign journalist visiting China for short-term news coverage J2
  • Foreign journalist visiting China for short-term news coverage
Crew member C
  • Crew member performing duties on board an international train
  • Crew member performing duties on board an international aircraft
  • Crew member performing duties on board an international vessel or accompanying family member
  • Vehicle driver engaged in international transportation services;
Transit G
  • Transit through China
Permanent residence D
  • Person coming to China to take up permanent residence
Foreigner of high talent or specialist R
  • Foreigner of high talent or specialist needed by the State

FAQ

Foreign nationals eligible for a visa waiver do not need to declare in advance to Chinese embassies and consulates before entering China without a visa.

Foreign nationals traveling for purposes of business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange and transit that meet the visa waiver requirements can be allowed to enter China without a visa upon examination and approval in accordance with law by border inspection authorities. Entry into China shall be denied by border inspection authorities in accordance with law to foreign nationals who travel for purposes that do not meet the visa waiver requirements or who are not allowed to enter China in accordance with laws and regulations. It is recommended to take documents such as invitation letters, air tickets and reservations of accommodation as a proof corresponding to the purposes of entry into China. Visa waiver does not apply to those who come to China for work, study, journalistic or alike purposes.

Visa waiver requirements for minors are the same as for adults.

The visa waiver applies to all travellers coming to China through any sea, road and air port open to foreign nationals (except where laws, regulations and bilateral arrangements specify otherwise). For arrivals in China by private transport, certain procedures for entry and exit of means of transport shall be processed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations of China.

The visa waiver applies to eligible foreign nationals either in tour groups or as individuals.

Foreign nationals planning to stay in China for over 30 days shall apply for visas corresponding to their purposes of stay in advance at Chinese embassies or consulates. If they have to stay longer than 30 days for appropriate and sufficient reasons after entering China without a visa, they shall apply for stay permits to the exit and entry administrations of public security authorities of China.

Foreign nationals eligible for the visa waiver can enter China without a visa for multiple times. Currently there is no restriction on the number of entries or total days of stay, but those who enjoy visa-free travel to China shall not engage in activities inconsistent with their purposes of entry.

Kindly refer to the following websites:

The Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: http://www.immd.gov.hk

Public Security Police Force of the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region: http://www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/eng/main.html

Please be noted that the final decision on whether the visitor is permitted entry or not will be down to the local Immigration Department/Public Security Police Force or local Border Control Authority in accordance with individual cases.

If you hold an ordinary passport, you should submit your application at the Visa Centre in the country where you lawfully reside. Holders of diplomatic and service (official) passports or applicants eligible to apply for China’s diplomatic, courtesy and service visas, and applicants applying for a visa to the Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Region of China should still apply directly to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General.

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