China Entry Requirements
Nationwide visa-free entry and standard visa requirements by nationality.
Quick Reference by Nationality
Reading the table. Visa-free means China waived the visa on its own, with no reciprocal agreement (50 nationalities, up to 30 days per entry). Visa-free, mutual means a bilateral treaty sets the terms (29). Visa required means a visa is normally needed (16). Max stay is the longest stay per entry for an ordinary passport. Exception is the only thing that sets a row apart from the rest of its group: a different end date, or a narrower route that still exists.
| Nationality | Status | Max stay | Exception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Andorra | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Argentina | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Armenia | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Australia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Austria | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Azerbaijan | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Bahamas | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Bahrain | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Barbados | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Belarus | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Brunei | Visa-free | 30 days | No stated end date |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Cambodia | Visa required | As issued | Regional group exemptions may apply |
| Canada | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Chile | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Cyprus | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Czech Republic | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Dominica | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Ecuador | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Estonia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Fiji | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Finland | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| France | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Georgia | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Germany | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Greece | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Grenada | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| India | Visa required | As issued | Visa normally required for a standard visit |
| Indonesia | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Israel | Visa required | As issued | Visa normally required for a standard visit |
| Italy | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Japan | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Kazakhstan | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Kuwait | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Latvia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Liechtenstein | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Lithuania | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Luxembourg | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Malaysia | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Maldives | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Malta | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Mauritius | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Mexico | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Monaco | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Montenegro | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| North Macedonia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Norway | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Oman | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Pakistan | Visa required | As issued | Visa normally required for a standard visit |
| Peru | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Philippines | Visa required | As issued | Hainan's 30-day regional policy may apply |
| Poland | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Qatar | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Romania | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Russia | Visa-free | 30 days | Runs to 31 December 2027 |
| Samoa | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| San Marino | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Serbia | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Seychelles | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Singapore | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Slovakia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Slovenia | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Solomon Islands | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| South Africa | Visa required | As issued | Visa normally required for a standard visit |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Spain | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Suriname | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Thailand | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Tonga | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Turkey | Visa required | As issued | Visa normally required for a standard visit |
| Ukraine | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| United States | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Uruguay | Visa-free | 30 days | — |
| Uzbekistan | Visa-free, mutual | Per agreement | — |
| Vietnam | Visa required | As issued | Eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan's 30-day regional policy |
| Other passport | Visa required | As issued | If not in the 79-country list above, a visa is normally required for a standard visit |
The dates that matter
The 50 unilateral entries run to 31 December 2026, which is a different question from when your trip ends: this is time-limited legislation rather than permanent law, and renewals have historically been announced a few weeks before expiry. Two rows depart from that date and carry their own: Russia to 31 December 2027, and Brunei, whose arrangement has no stated end date. A return trip that straddles a renewal needs checking again.
The 29 mutual agreements do not share an end date. Each runs on its own terms, which is why their stay column reads per agreement rather than as a number.
The 16 remaining entries fall outside both lists. Several still enter without a visa under a narrower scheme: 240-hour visa-free transit for a third country, or Hainan's 30-day regional arrangement. A transit exemption is not the same permission as a visa-free entry, and the onward ticket and the port of entry both matter, so read the exception before assuming a refusal at check-in.
How this table was compiled
Checked against Chinese government announcements on 8 September 2026. The table covers 95 nationalities: 79 hold nationwide visa-free access and the remaining 16 fall back to a visa or to a transit or regional scheme. Visa policy changes by announcement rather than by act, so confirm at the MFA visa-free FAQ or your local Chinese embassy before booking. These lists cover ordinary passports only, which is what both arrangements are written for.
Check what visa you need → Visa Eligibility Checker