Checked on 29 October 2026.
China’s entry rules for short trips have changed several times since 2023, and they are still changing. This page sets out the rules as they stood in late October 2026. Two arrangements matter to most visitors from the US, UK, Europe and Australia: the 30-day unilateral visa-free policy and the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.
Before you book flights, confirm your own case on the website of the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country and on the National Immigration Administration (NIA) site, en.nia.gov.cn. The NIA also runs a service hotline, 12367. Border officers make the final decision at the airport.
The 30-day visa-free list
Holders of ordinary passports from 50 countries can enter China without a visa and stay up to 30 days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list, as republished in May 2026, covers:
- Western Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Monaco, Andorra, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom
- Northern and Central Europe: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Montenegro and North Macedonia
- Elsewhere: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Brunei, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Russia
The UK and Canada were added on February 17, 2026. Sweden joined on November 10, 2025. Two EU members, the Czech Republic and Lithuania, are not on the list, and neither is the United States.
The permitted purposes are business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit. Work, study and journalism still need a visa. Your passport must be an ordinary passport, valid for the whole stay; emergency and temporary travel documents do not qualify.
How the 30 days work
The count starts at 00:00 on the day after you arrive and runs for 30 calendar days. You can enter through any port open to foreigners, and you can arrive from anywhere. There is no advance registration with the embassy.
You may enter more than once, and the official FAQ says there is currently no cap on the number of entries or total days. Officers can still refuse entry if your plans do not match a permitted purpose, so carry your return or onward ticket and your hotel bookings. If something unexpected keeps you longer than 30 days, you apply for a stay permit at a local public security exit-entry office; a planned longer trip needs a visa from the start.
The end date
For almost every country on the list, the current arrangement runs until 24:00 on December 31, 2026. As of late October 2026, no extension into 2027 had been announced, apart from Russia, whose arrangement now runs to December 31, 2027.
The last extension was announced on November 4, 2025, about eight weeks before the previous deadline. If any part of your trip falls on or after January 1, 2027, check the embassy site again close to booking, and again before you fly. Do not assume the policy will roll over.
The 240-hour transit rule
This is the route for Americans and for anyone whose country is not on the 30-day list. Citizens of 55 countries can stay up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa when they are passing through China to a third country or region.
The 55 countries include the United States, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, all 27 EU countries (including the Czech Republic and Lithuania), Switzerland, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia. The NIA publishes the full list.
The conditions are strict:
- Onward ticket. You need a confirmed ticket, with a date and seat, leaving China within 240 hours.
- A different destination. You must fly on to a third country or region. US to Beijing to Tokyo works. US to Shanghai to the US does not. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as separate regions, so a ticket on to Hong Kong qualifies.
- Designated ports. You must arrive and leave through one of 65 approved ports in 24 provinces and municipalities. These include Beijing Capital and Daxing airports, Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao airports, Xi’an Xianyang airport and Chengdu’s Shuangliu and Tianfu airports.
- Permitted areas. You may travel within the designated areas of those 24 regions and cross provincial lines between them, but not outside them.
- Passport. Plan on at least three months of validity left on arrival, the figure given in published summaries of the rules.
The 240 hours start at 00:00 on the day after you are admitted. Tell the airline at check-in that you are using visa-free transit and have your onward ticket on hand; at the border you ask for temporary entry at the transit counter. Allow extra time for this.
When you still need a visa
You need a visa if your country is on neither list, if you are going to work, study or report, if you want to stay longer than 30 days (or longer than 10 days on transit), or if your itinerary cannot meet the transit rules, such as a round trip to and from the same country.
Visa applications go through the Chinese embassy or consulate, or the Chinese Visa Application Service Center that serves your area. Fees and processing times vary by nationality and change, so check the current figures on the service center’s site.
The arrival card
Since November 20, 2025, foreign visitors can complete the arrival card online before they travel: on the NIA website, in the NIA 12367 app, or through a mini program in WeChat or Alipay. You can also scan a QR code at the airport or fill in a paper card. A few groups are exempt, including passengers in 24-hour direct transit who stay airside.
Before you book
Work through the options in order. Use the 30-day rule if your passport is on the list and your trip ends by December 31, 2026. Otherwise, check whether your route fits the 240-hour transit rules. If neither applies, apply for a visa with time to spare. Our paying in China and apps and internet guides cover the next things to set up.
