China visa requirements by country
Whether you need a visa for China depends on your passport. 66 nationalities can currently enter visa-free; others rely on the 240-hour transit rule or a tourist visa. Find your country below — every page is dated and checked against official Chinese government sources.
Know your country already? Use the visa-free checker to jump straight to your answer.
Compiled from official sources by Henry · independent · based in China
Popular countries
Visa-free entry (66)
These nationalities can enter China without a visa — under the 30-day unilateral program, a bilateral exemption treaty, or both. Open a country for the exact stay length, conditions and official sources.
- Albania
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
Visa-free transit only (240 hours) (6)
No visa-free entry for an ordinary trip, but citizens can transit visa-free for up to 240 hours (10 days) with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, entering through designated ports.
Tourist visa required (5)
A tourist (L) visa must be arranged before travelling. Open a country for what you'll need and how to apply.
Common questions
- Do you need iVisa (or any paid visa service) for China?
- Do you need a tour to visit China?
- China's new K visa for science & tech talent — who qualifies?
- Can you use China's 240-hour visa-free transit, and where can you go?
- Moving to China for work or study? How to apostille your documents
- Working in China? How the Z work visa and work permit work
- Joining family in China? The S vs Q family visa, explained
Official sources
Every policy on this page was checked against these official pages. Always confirm with the source before booking.
- https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xw/fyrbt/fyrbt/202602/t20260215_11860467.html
- https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202511/04/content_WS69094ae0c6d00ca5f9a07472.html
- https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202512/03/content_WS693020c2c6d00ca5f9a07e35.html
- https://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/qz2021/202412/t20241217_11495647.htm
Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice, and may contain errors or be out of date — policies change without notice. Always confirm your eligibility, stay length and entry conditions with the official sources above or your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate before you book travel or rely on this page. Ready Set China is an independent information site — not a travel agency, booking agent, or government body — and is not responsible for decisions made on the basis of this information.