Quick answer
Which countries can visit China visa-free in 2026?
Ordinary passport holders from 50 countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea, can stay up to 30 days without a visa, mostly until 31 December 2026. US citizens are not on that list but can use 240-hour visa-free transit with an onward ticket to a third country.
Ordinary passport holders from 50 countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days, for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges or transit. For most of them the policy runs until 31 December 2026. Citizens of 55 countries can also use 240-hour visa-free transit through 65 ports. If you qualify, you need no visa and no visa photo.
This page summarises the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' FAQs on visa-free entry and the National Immigration Administration's November 2025 announcement. Rules change often, so check both before you travel. If you do need a visa, see our China visa photo guide.
The 30-day visa-free list
The MFA lists these 50 countries for ordinary passports:
| Region | Countries |
|---|---|
| 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-Pacific (5) | Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea |
| Americas (6) | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay |
| Middle East (4) | Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia |
| Stay | Up to 30 days |
|---|---|
| Purposes | Business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits, transit |
| Not covered | Work, study and news reporting: these need a visa |
| Passport | An ordinary passport valid for your intended stay |
| Ports | Any port open to foreign nationals, as an individual or with a tour group |
| Children | Same rules as adults |
| End date | Brunei: no end date. Russia: 31 December 2027. The other 48 countries: 31 December 2026 |
The end date is close
For most countries the policy is set to end on 31 December 2026, about two months after we last checked these rules. We cannot say whether it will be extended. If you travel in 2027, check the MFA page first, and leave time to apply for a visa if needed.
240-hour visa-free transit
NIA's announcement No. 4 of 2025 sets out the 240-hour visa-free transit rules that apply from 5 November 2025:
- Who: citizens of 55 countries: 40 in Europe (including the UK, Ireland, Russia and Ukraine), 6 in the Americas (the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile), Australia and New Zealand, and 7 in Asia (the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the UAE, Qatar and Indonesia).
- Where: 65 ports in 24 provinces.
- Conditions: a passport valid for at least 3 months, and a confirmed ticket onward to a third country within 240 hours. The time counts from 00:00 on the day after you arrive.
- Not covered: work, study and journalism need a visa.
Third country means a third country
Transit means travelling between two other countries, for example from the United States to China and on to Japan. A return ticket to the country you came from does not qualify. Ask your airline before you fly.
Mutual visa exemption agreements
Separately, China has two-way visa exemption agreements with a number of countries. The MFA's list includes, for ordinary passports, Singapore (dated 9 February 2024), Thailand (1 March 2024), Georgia (28 May 2024), Malaysia (17 July 2025), Uzbekistan (1 June 2025), Kazakhstan (10 November 2023), the Maldives (20 May 2022) and the UAE (16 January 2018). Each agreement sets its own length of stay, so check the MFA list for your country.
These agreements also let Chinese citizens visit those countries visa-free: see visa photos for Chinese citizens.
Online arrival card
From 20 November 2025, foreign visitors can fill in the arrival card online before they travel, on NIA's website or its government services platform, the 移民局12367 app, or WeChat and Alipay mini-programs. Holders of the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, group visa travellers, 24-hour direct transit passengers and cruise passengers, among others, do not need one. NIA's announcement does not mention a photo.
If you still need a visa
You will need a China visa, with a 33 × 48 mm photo on a white background and a digital copy for the online form, if your country is not on the lists above, if you will stay longer than allowed, or if you will work, study or report. The China visa photo guide and COVA upload guide have the details.
How to check whether you need a China visa photo
- Check the 30-day list. If you hold an ordinary passport from one of the 50 listed countries and will stay up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, exchange or transit, you need no visa.
- Check the end date. For most countries the 30-day policy runs to 31 December 2026. If you travel later, check the MFA page again.
- Check 240-hour transit. If you are flying on to a third country within 240 hours and your nationality is one of the 55 listed, you can transit without a visa through the 65 listed ports.
- Otherwise, prepare a visa photo. Take a 33 × 48 mm photo on a white background, with a JPEG copy for the online form, and apply for the visa type that fits your trip. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
China visa-free entry FAQ
For most trips, yes. The United States is not on China's 30-day visa-free list. US citizens can use 240-hour visa-free transit if they are travelling on to a third country with a confirmed onward ticket; otherwise they need a visa, and a visa photo.
For 48 of the 50 countries, it runs until 31 December 2026. For Russia it runs until 31 December 2027, and Brunei has no end date. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs page before you book, as these dates can change.
Business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit, for up to 30 days. Work, study and news reporting are not covered and need a visa.
Citizens of 55 countries can stay up to 240 hours when travelling between two other countries through one of 65 ports in 24 provinces. You need a passport valid for at least 3 months and a confirmed onward ticket to a third country, and the 240 hours count from 00:00 the day after you arrive.
No. The MFA says the visa-free policy applies to minors in the same way as adults.
NIA's announcement of the online arrival card does not mention a photo. You fill it in on NIA's website or app, or through WeChat or Alipay mini-programs.
Official sources
- China Consular Services: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
- China Consular Services: Visa-Free Transit
- China Consular Services: Mutual Visa Exemption List
- National Immigration Administration: Announcement No. 4 of 2025 (240-hour transit, online arrival card)
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.