Can you visit China visa-free?
Choose the ordinary passport you’ll travel with. We’ll point you to the current entry path, stay limit and official source.
Current snapshot: 50 countries have a 30-day unilateral waiver, 29 have ordinary-passport mutual agreements, and 55 nationalities are covered by a separate transit policy.
Planning information · Official sources last checked August 20, 2026.Start with the ordinary passport you will use.
This planning checker covers ordinary passports only. It updates the policy answer—not your route results.
Choose the ordinary passport you will travel with.
We will show which official entry policy to check, its current stay limit, and the source last reviewed.
Four entry paths. Different rules.
“Visa-free” may mean nationwide short-stay entry, a bilateral treaty, transit-only temporary entry, or a limited regional arrangement. Match the policy before using its country list.
Swipe or use Shift + mouse wheel to compare every column.
| Entry path | Who it covers | Typical stay | Route or area rule | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day unilateral waiver | Valid ordinary passport from one of 50 countries, with a listed short-stay purpose | Up to 30 calendar days | No A → China → B requirement | See all 50 countries |
| Mutual visa exemption | Only the passport categories written in the bilateral agreement | Agreement-specific | Stay and rolling caps can vary | Check the ordinary-passport list |
| 240-hour visa-free transit | 55 nationalities transiting mainland China to a third country or region | Up to 240 hours | Designated ports and permitted stay areas | Read the complete rules |
| Regional or group policy | Named passports, tour groups or cruise passengers under the specific policy | Policy-specific | Limited to the named region, port or group itinerary | Open NIA regional policies |
All 50 countries on the current unilateral list.
This is the main nationwide short-stay list. It is not the 240-hour transit list. The official list applies to nationals holding valid ordinary passports.
Europe
35- 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
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Asia
7- Bahrain
- Brunei
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
Oceania
2- Australia
- New Zealand
Americas
6- Argentina
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Peru
- Uruguay
Business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange visits, and transit.
Up to 30 calendar days, counted from 00:00 on the day after entry.
Brunei has no stated end date; Russia is listed through 31 December 2027; the other 48 waivers are listed through 31 December 2026.
Work, study, news reporting, and other activities requiring prior approval need the appropriate visa.
29 countries with ordinary passports included.
The official MFA table contains 160 countries because it also lists diplomatic, official, service and other document categories. The 29 names below are the entries whose current agreement includes ordinary passports; their exact stay terms can differ.
- 01Albania
- 02Antigua and Barbuda
- 03Armenia
- 04Azerbaijan
- 05Bahamas
- 06Barbados
- 07Belarus
- 08Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 09Dominica
- 10Ecuador
- 11Fiji
- 12Georgia
- 13Grenada
- 14Kazakhstan
- 15Malaysia
- 16Maldives
- 17Mauritius
- 18Qatar
- 19Samoa
- 20San Marino
- 21Serbia
- 22Seychelles
- 23Singapore
- 24Solomon Islands
- 25Suriname
- 26Thailand
- 27Tonga
- 28United Arab Emirates
- 29Uzbekistan
Up to 30 days per visit
Ordinary passports are covered by the bilateral agreement effective since 9 February 2024.
30 days, with a rolling cap
Up to 30 days per visit, with total visa-free stays capped at 90 days in any 180-day period.
Do not copy another country’s stay limit. Check the passport category, per-entry limit, cumulative limit, purpose and effective date written for the actual nationality.
Open the complete MFA agreement tableCheck transit, regional rules, then the visa path.
Not appearing on the 50-country list does not by itself prove that a visa is required. A different, narrower policy may fit the passport and exact itinerary.
Direct transit at the port
All nationalities may use the 24-hour policy when transiting to a third country or region with confirmed onward transport and remaining inside the restricted port area. Leaving that area requires a temporary entry permit.
Official transit overviewTemporary entry during transit
Citizens of 55 listed countries may apply when the itinerary follows A → mainland China → different B and meets every document, port, ticket, timing and permitted-area condition.
Read the complete 240-hour rulesA regional 30-day policy
Ordinary-passport holders from 59 countries may enter through an open Hainan port for covered short-stay purposes and remain within Hainan. This is not nationwide visa-free entry.
See all regional policiesThe standard route remains available
If no exemption fits, check the current tourist-visa requirements with the Chinese embassy, consulate or visa service responsible for the traveler before buying non-refundable travel.
Check the four launch-market passport answersUse the entry path, then choose the arrival gateway.
These cards illustrate different policy shapes. They do not guarantee that a traveler or booking will be admitted under a policy.
The first-timer’s China, west to north
Australia → China → Australia
A one-week Lower Yangtze escape
Singapore → China → Singapore
South China by fast train
Malaysia → China → Malaysia
A Lower Yangtze transit example
United States → China → Japan
Questions travelers ask before booking.
Every answer below is generated from the same reviewed data used in this page’s search metadata.
01Does China have one visa-free country list for 2026?＋
No. China currently has a 50-country unilateral waiver, full mutual visa exemptions with 29 countries, and a 55-nationality 240-hour transit policy, plus narrower regional policies. The lists overlap and have different passport, purpose, route, and stay rules.
02How long is China’s 30-day visa-free stay?＋
The unilateral waiver allows up to 30 calendar days. The official count starts at 00:00 on the day after entry. A bilateral agreement may use different cumulative limits, so its own terms must be checked.
03Can U.S. passport holders visit China without a visa?＋
U.S. ordinary-passport holders are not covered by the general 30-day unilateral tourism waiver. A tourist visa is normally required for a standard round trip, although a traveler may apply for 240-hour visa-free transit if the complete itinerary meets that separate policy.
04Can Australian passport holders visit China without a visa in 2026?＋
Australian nationals holding valid ordinary passports are on the current unilateral list for qualifying stays of up to 30 days. The present policy is listed through December 31, 2026, and entry remains subject to border inspection.
05Do Singapore and Malaysia use the same visa-free policy as Australia?＋
No. Singapore and Malaysia use bilateral mutual visa-exemption agreements, while Australia is covered by the unilateral waiver. Singapore permits stays of up to 30 days. Malaysia permits up to 30 days per visit, subject to a 90-day limit in any 180-day period.
06What purposes are covered by the 30-day unilateral waiver?＋
The official policy covers business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange visits, and transit. It does not cover work, study, news reporting, or other activities that require prior approval.
07Does visa-free entry guarantee admission to China?＋
No. A visa exemption removes the need to apply for a visa in advance when the published conditions are met. Border inspection authorities still examine the traveler, purpose, documents, and applicable entry rules before allowing entry.
08Will the 30-day country list continue after December 31, 2026?＋
The current MFA FAQ lists 48 of the unilateral waivers through December 31, 2026, Russia through December 31, 2027, and no stated end date for Brunei. Travelers should recheck the official list before any trip after the relevant date.
Each number is tied to its own policy source.
We use the current central-government or immigration source for each claim. Older pages can retain expired country counts or terms.
Jul 2026The central MFA FAQ confirms the current 50-country list and separates Brunei, Russia and the other 48 policies by end date.
May 2026The MFA agreement table was updated; only rows that include ordinary passports belong in the 29-country list above.
Nov 2025Most unilateral waivers were extended through the end of 2026, with Sweden added.
Visa exemptions remove the need to obtain a visa in advance only when the published conditions are met. They do not guarantee admission. Policies and end dates can change; verify the current official rule for the passport and trip before purchase.