China visa rules for United States citizens
Only for transit. United States citizens usually need a visa for a trip to China alone, but can stay up to 240 hours (10 days) visa-free when flying on to a third country or region, entering through ports such as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Last verified October 17, 2026.
Visiting only China
Visa needed
Visa usually needed for a China-only trip
If your trip continues after China to a different country or region than the one you came from, you can use 240-hour visa-free transit instead. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as onward destinations.
Other visa-free schemes
Special schemes such as visa-free entry for Greater Bay Area tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao, 30-day visa-free entry to Hainan Province for 61 countries, and 15-day visa-free entry for cruise tour groups have separate rules not covered here.
Last verified October 17, 2026 against official sources, which prevail if anything differs.
Flying on to another country or region
240-hour transit
Visa-free transit for up to 240 hours (10 days)
Hold an ordinary passport and an onward ticket with a confirmed date and seat to a third country or region (not back to where you came from; Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as eligible onward destinations). Enter through one of the 65 designated ports, stay inside the permitted areas, and leave within 240 hours.
Eligible ports in Guangdong are listed below; other provinces have their own. You must stay within the permitted area.
10 eligible ports in Guangdong
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
- Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
- Nansha Port (passenger)
- Shekou Port (passenger)
- Guangzhou Port Pazhou Hong Kong–Macao Passenger Terminal
- Zhongshan Port Passenger Terminal
- Hengqin Port
- Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Zhuhai Port
- Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link West Kowloon Station Port
For work, study or journalism in China you still need a visa.
Last verified October 17, 2026 against official sources, which prevail if anything differs.
Before you go
- Bring a valid passport and check the validity your airline requires.
- Keep proof of your onward flight and your accommodation; border officers can ask for both.
- Fill in the arrival card online before you travel, or on paper when you land.
FAQ
Do United States citizens need a visa for China?
Yes for a China-only trip. If you fly on to a different country or region within 240 hours, you can enter visa-free at an eligible port such as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
Can United States citizens use 240-hour visa-free transit in Guangzhou?
Yes, if you fly on to a third country or region within 240 hours and enter through an eligible port such as Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
How long can United States citizens stay in China without a visa?
Up to 240 hours (10 days), and only while in transit to a third country or region.
The fine print
- 30-day visa-free entry (unilateral or mutual) covers business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit only. Work, study and journalism still need a visa.
- Unilateral visa-free entry runs until December 31, 2026, for 48 of the 50 countries, until December 31, 2027, for Russia, and has no end date for Brunei. Check again before booking trips for 2027.
- The 30 days are counted from the day after you enter, for up to 30 consecutive calendar days. You can use visa-free entry repeatedly; there is currently no limit on the number of entries.
- Ordinary passports only. Travel documents and temporary or emergency passports do not qualify.
- Mutual visa exemption agreements generally allow up to 30 days per stay.
- 240-hour transit: the permitted area covers 24 provinces. In Guangdong the whole province is permitted, and you may leave from any open port in Guangdong. Work, study and journalism are not allowed.
- West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong (Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed rail) is one of the Guangdong ports for 240-hour transit, so you can enter there visa-free if you meet the transit rules.
- Border officers make the final decision. Carry proof that matches your purpose, such as hotel bookings, an onward ticket or an invitation letter.
- You can fill in the arrival card online before you travel, free, on the NIA website, 12367 app or WeChat and Alipay mini programs.
- Foreign tour groups of 2 or more, organised by a travel agency registered in Hong Kong or Macao, can enter the 9 Greater Bay Area mainland cities and Shantou visa-free for up to 6 days.
- Hainan Province has its own 30-day visa-free entry for ordinary-passport holders from 61 countries, for tourism, business, visits, family, medical treatment, exhibitions and sports (not work or study). It is valid only within Hainan.
- Foreign tour groups of 2 or more arriving on a cruise ship and received by a travel agency in China can enter visa-free at cruise ports in 13 cities, including Guangzhou and Shenzhen. They can stay up to 15 days in the coastal provinces and Beijing, and must stay with the same ship until it leaves China.
- Seven groups are exempt from filling in entry information: holders of a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card; holders of a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese citizens); travellers on a group visa or group visa-free entry; passengers transiting directly within 24 hours without leaving the port's restricted area; passengers entering and leaving on the same cruise ship; people entering through designated fast lanes (e-channels); and foreign crew of exit-entry transport vehicles.
Official sources
Checked on October 17, 2026. If anything here differs from these sources, the sources are right.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: List of mutual visa exemption agreements
- National Immigration Administration: Visa-free transit policy (57 countries, 65 ports)
- National Immigration Administration: 240-hour visa-free transit policy interpretation
- National Immigration Administration: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added to 240-hour transit and Hainan visa-free entry
- MTR High Speed Rail: 240-hour visa-free transit (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as onward destinations)
- Consulate General of China in Barcelona: visa-free measures summary (online arrival card, Hainan)
- National Immigration Administration: NIA Launches 10 New Measures to Support Expansion of Opening-up (online arrival card), November 3, 2025
- National Immigration Administration: Beware of Fraudulent Websites for Arrival Card Filling (free of charge), December 5, 2025
- Shanghai government (source: National Immigration Administration): China launches online arrival card for international travelers, with the seven exempt groups, November 20, 2025
- Consulate General of China in Toronto: visa-exempt cases (Greater Bay Area and Hainan tour groups, cruise groups)
- Xinhua: China extends visa-free entry for Russian ordinary-passport holders to December 31, 2027 (May 20, 2026, in Chinese)
- Embassy of China in Japan: notice extending unilateral visa-free entry to December 31, 2026 (November 7, 2025, in Chinese)
- Xinhua: China–Thailand mutual visa exemption in force, 30 days per entry and 90 days in any 180 days (March 2, 2024, in Chinese)
- Xinhua: China–Thailand agreement unaffected by Thailand's September 15, 2026 changes (September 2, 2026, in Chinese)
This page summarises public rules and is not legal advice. Official sources prevail: confirm with the National Immigration Administration or a Chinese embassy before you travel.