Key points
- China lets ordinary passport holders from 50 countries visit for up to 30 days without a visa under its own unilateral policy. For most of them it runs until 31 December 2026.
- Mutual agreements add more passports, such as Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the UAE and Qatar, usually 30 days per visit.
- The 240 hour visa free transit lets citizens of 57 countries stay up to 10 days in set regions when flying on to a third country, through 65 ports in 24 provinces.
- Pakistani, Indian, Nigerian, Bangladeshi, Egyptian and Iranian passports are not on these lists and need a Chinese visa for a normal trip.
- Visa free entry covers tourism, business meetings, family visits, exchanges and transit. Work, study and journalism always need a visa.
Contents
Three ways to enter China without a visa
China has several visa free schemes, and they are easy to mix up. The first is a unilateral list: China decided on its own to let certain nationalities in for 30 days. The second is mutual visa exemption agreements, where both countries waive visas for each other. The third is visa free transit, which only works when you travel on to a third country.
If you are an Azerbaijani citizen, read our guide to China visa free for Azerbaijanis. This guide covers every other passport, including foreigners who live in Azerbaijan.
| Scheme | Who | Stay | Main condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unilateral visa free entry | 50 countries | Up to 30 days | Ordinary passport; short visit purposes |
| Mutual visa exemption | Countries with an agreement | Usually 30 days, often 90 in 180 | The rules of each agreement |
| 240 hour visa free transit | 57 countries | Up to 10 days | Onward ticket to a third country, set ports and regions |
| 24 hour transit | All nationalities | Up to 24 hours | Stay in the airport restricted area |
| Hainan 30 day entry | 61 countries | Up to 30 days | Hainan Province only |
The 30 day unilateral visa free list
China's National Immigration Administration lists these 50 countries (as of 17 February 2026). Holders of ordinary passports can enter for business, tourism, visiting family and friends, exchange visits or transit and stay up to 30 days. Days are counted from 00:00 on the day after you enter.
| 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 (7) | Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, South Korea, Saudi Arabia |
| Americas (6) | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay |
| Oceania (2) | Australia, New Zealand |
The policy for most of these countries was extended until 24:00 on 31 December 2026. Countries added later, such as Russia, the UK and Canada, came in under separate notices and may have their own end date. Check the latest notice before trips in 2027. The United States is not on this list.
Mutual visa exemption agreements for ordinary passports
Most of China's agreements only cover diplomatic and service passports. The ones below also cover ordinary passports. Each agreement has its own limits, so check the line for your passport.
| Passport | Stay without a visa |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijan (since 16 July 2025) | 30 days per visit, 90 days in 180 |
| Uzbekistan (since 1 June 2025) | 30 days per visit, 90 days in 180 |
| Malaysia (since 17 July 2025) | 30 days per visit, 90 days in 180 |
| Kazakhstan | 30 days per visit, 90 days in 180 |
| Georgia | 30 days per visit, 90 days in 180 |
| Thailand | 30 days per visit, 90 days in 180 |
| Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Maldives, Serbia | 30 days |
| Belarus | 30 days, no more than 90 days a year |
| Armenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days in 180 |
| Mauritius | 60 days |
| Seychelles, Bahamas, Barbados, Fiji, Suriname, Dominica | 30 days |
This is not the full list. The National Immigration Administration publishes every agreement with its passport types and stay. Ecuador is on the official list with 30 days, but read the current notice before you rely on it.
The 240 hour visa free transit
Citizens of 57 countries can enter China without a visa when they travel from one country to a third country through China, for example Baku to Beijing to Seoul. You may stay up to 240 hours (10 days) in the permitted areas of the province or region where you arrived. During the stay you can do tourism, business, visits and family reunions, but not work, study or news reporting.
You need an ordinary passport and an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and date to a third country or region. A return to the country you came from does not count. You must enter and leave through one of the 65 designated ports in 24 provinces, regions and cities, which include the main airports of Beijing and Shanghai.
| Region | The 57 countries |
|---|---|
| Europe (40) | Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom |
| Asia (9) | Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam |
| North America (2) | Canada, United States |
| South America (4) | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico |
| Oceania (2) | Australia, New Zealand |
Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam joined on 20 August 2026. Tell the airline at check in that you will use visa free transit, and keep the onward ticket on paper or on your phone.
Who still needs a Chinese visa
If your passport is on none of the lists above, you need a visa from a Chinese embassy or visa centre before you travel. This includes ordinary passports of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Türkiye and Turkmenistan. Pakistan and Türkiye have agreements with China, but only for diplomatic, service and other official passports.
Everyone needs a visa for work, study, journalism or long stays, even citizens of visa free countries. People who live in Azerbaijan can usually apply at the Chinese Embassy in Baku; ask the embassy what it needs from foreign residents and bring your Azerbaijani residence permit. For more on the types of visa, read e visa vs visa on arrival vs embassy visa.
- Register your stay. Hotels do it for you; if you stay at a private home, register with the local police soon after arrival.
- Plan the dates. Overstaying a visa free stay can lead to fines, detention and a ban.
- Check your passport. Visa free schemes are for ordinary passports with enough validity for the whole trip.
- Watch the end dates. Unilateral policies are temporary and China renews them by notice.
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Frequently asked questions
How many countries are visa free for China in 2026?
50 countries are on China's unilateral 30 day list, and more passports enter visa free under mutual agreements, such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Malaysia, Thailand and the UAE.
Do Germans need a visa for China?
No, not for visits of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits or transit. Germany is on the unilateral list until 31 December 2026.
Do Americans need a visa for China?
Yes for a normal trip, because the United States is not on the 30 day list. Americans can use the 240 hour visa free transit when they fly on to a third country.
What is the 240 hour transit in China?
Citizens of 57 countries can stay up to 10 days in set regions without a visa if they hold an onward ticket to a third country and enter through one of 65 designated ports.
Can Pakistani or Indian citizens visit China without a visa?
No. Their ordinary passports are not on the visa free or transit lists. They need a Chinese visa, except for a stay of under 24 hours inside the airport transit area.
Can I work in China on visa free entry?
No. Visa free entry covers short visits such as tourism, meetings and family visits. Work, study and news reporting need the right visa.
Official sources
- National Immigration Administration of China: countries covered by unilateral visa exemption
- National Immigration Administration of China: visa free transit policies
- National Immigration Administration of China: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added to the 240 hour transit
- National Immigration Administration of China: details of mutual visa exemption agreements
- National Immigration Administration of China: regional visa free entry policies (Hainan)
- Chinese Embassy: notice on the extension of the unilateral visa free policy
- Beijing government: China and Malaysia mutual visa exemption takes effect
- Beijing government: mutual visa exemption with Uzbekistan
Sroky is a private company and is not part of any government. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change: the official source always applies. Disclaimer