China 30-Day Visa-Free Entry: 2026 Country List and Deadline

Two lists, one result

China waives visas for short visits in two ways. On the one-sided list, China lets your passport in and asks nothing in return from your government. Mutual agreements work both ways: your country also lets Chinese citizens in visa-free. For you, the visitor, the result is the same: you land, show your passport and walk through.

The full list below comes straight from our visa dataset, which we check against China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration. Your passport only needs to be on one of the two lists.

What the trip can be for

The visa-free days are for short visits: business meetings and trade fairs, sightseeing, seeing family or friends, exchange visits, and passing through on the way somewhere else. Key facts above has the exact wording.

What it does not cover is anything that looks like settling in: taking a job, starting a course, or working as a journalist. Those need a visa before you fly, even if the trip is short.

How the days are counted

Counting starts the day after you arrive. Land on a Monday evening and Tuesday is your first day. You can leave and come back later on a new visa-free entry; there is no limit on the number of entries at the moment.

What changes after the end date

Most of the one-sided list has an end date, shown in Key facts; a couple of countries run longer, and the FAQ below names them. China has not yet said what happens next. Until it does:

• If your trip ends before that date, nothing changes for you.
• If it ends after, check again before you pay for flights you cannot change.
• When an official notice comes out, we update the checker, this guide and the “Last updated” line at the top on the same day.

How to check your passport

1. Open the visa-free checker and choose your nationality.
2. Pick whether you are visiting only China, or flying on to another country or region afterwards.
3. Read the result and the rules under it. Each one links to the official source.

At the border

You do not apply for anything in advance. At immigration you show your passport, and the officer decides. It helps to have proof that matches what you say you are doing: a hotel booking, your flight out, or an invitation letter for a business trip.

iPhoto: Tim Wu · CC BY-SA 4.0 Details

You can fill in China’s arrival card online before you fly, which saves time in the queue. Our arrival card guide walks through it.

If your country is not on the list

You still have options:

• Visa-free transit. If you are flying on to a third country or region, you may be able to stay a while without a visa. See our 240-hour transit guide.
• A visa. Apply through the Chinese embassy or visa centre in your country. A tourist visa covers most holiday trips. Our visa application guide explains the steps.
• Special schemes. A few regional and tour-group schemes have their own rules. The checker lists them under each result.