China Travel Guide

China Visa & Entry Essentials (2026)

China has opened its borders further than ever before. Most international travelers can now enter for tourism, business or short transits either completely visa-free or through a visa-free transit (TWOV) scheme — often with no embassy visit required. Below is our plain-English summary of the rules that matter when you land, updated to the latest National Immigration Administration guidance (August 2026). Policies change often, so treat this as orientation, not legal advice, and double-check your specific nationality before you fly.

Visa-Free Transit (TWOV) — From 72 Hours to 240 Hours

China's transit-without-a-visa scheme has steadily expanded. It began as a 72-hour stay at a handful of airports (2013), was broadened to 144 hours (6 days) from 2017, and was upgraded again on 17 December 2024 to 240 hours (10 days). That 10-day window was rolled out to 54 countries at launch, grew to 55 when Indonesia joined in June 2025, and — as of the latest update — now covers 57 countries.

Under the current 240-hour visa-free transit, if you are a national of an eligible country simply passing through China on your way to a third country or region, you can enter without a visa through any of the 65 designated ports across 24 provinces and stay for up to 10 days within the permitted areas. Requirements are:

• A valid ordinary passport (minimum 6 months remaining).
• A confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, with a fixed seat and departure date within the 240-hour window.
• Completing the arrival card for transit foreigners on arrival.

Eligible nationalities (57): Europe (40) — incl. the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine, the Nordics, Central & Eastern Europe; North America (2) — United States, Canada; South America (4) — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico; Oceania (2) — Australia, New Zealand; Asia (9) — Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, Qatar, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam. Beijing (Capital & Daxing), Shanghai (Pudong & Hongqiao), Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an and most major gateway airports are among the designated ports. Within the permitted areas you may sightsee, conduct business, visit family and attend meetings — paid work, study and journalism still need a proper visa.

There is also a separate, simpler 24-hour visa-free transit for all nationalities at every open port: if you are merely changing planes/ships/trains to a third country and stay within the port's restricted area, you need no visa at all. Leave the restricted area and you must obtain a temporary entry permit on the spot.

Shanghai & Coastal Cruise Passengers — 15-Day Visa-Free

Arriving by cruise? Foreign tourist groups of two or more people, organized and hosted by a China-registered travel agency, can enter China without a visa through any of 13 coastal cruise ports — Shanghai (Wusongkou), Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Dalian, Xiamen, Sanya, Haikou, Beihai, Lianyungang, Wenzhou and Zhoushan. Groups may stay up to 15 days, traveling within Beijing and the 11 coastal provinces/municipalities (Shanghai, Tianjin, Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hebei). The key condition: you must continue on the same cruise and depart China on that same ship — this is not an open-ended entry. Counting starts from midnight the day after you enter. We provide port pick-up and shore-excursion car service at every one of these terminals, including Wusongkou and the Tianjin home port.

Other Entry Rules Worth Knowing

• Direct visa-free entry: Ordinary passport holders from a growing list of countries (currently 48, plus Russia and Brunei) can enter for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits and transit without any visa. The 48-country arrangement is in effect through 31 December 2026, Russia through 31 December 2027, and Brunei with no set expiry.
• Hainan: Visitors from 61 countries may explore all of Hainan visa-free for up to 30 days through any open Hainan port.
• Always carry: your passport, proof of onward travel, and accommodation details — border officers may ask to see them.

Landed on a visa-free transit or a cruise shore stop and want to see the Great Wall, the Bund or the Terracotta Warriors without navigating taxis and trains on your own? China Wonder Cars offers fixed-price private car transfers and multi-day touring with an English-speaking driver — final price confirmed within 2 hours, a 50% deposit to lock the booking, and free cancellation up to 48 hours before service.

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