China Visa-Free Countries 2026: Full List of 47+ Nations

In 2026, 50 countries can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days with no transit requirement, 29 countries have bilateral mutual visa-exemption agreements, and 55 countries qualify for the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit. If your passport is from any of these places, you can skip the embassy visit entirely. This article gives you the full lists, expiration dates, and the exact rules for each tier.

The numbers are higher than they’ve ever been. As of mid-2024, only 12 countries had unilateral 30-day visa-free access. The 2024–2026 expansion has added 38 more.

The three tiers of China visa-free entry

Tier 1: 30-day unilateral visa-free entry (50 countries). No transit required. Just bring your passport. Stay up to 30 consecutive days. Most policies expire December 31, 2026, with extensions likely.

Tier 2: Mutual visa exemption (29 countries). Bilateral agreements where Chinese citizens also get visa-free access to your country. Generally no expiration. Stay is typically 30 days per visit, with cumulative limits.

Tier 3: 240-hour visa-free transit (55 countries). Requires a confirmed onward ticket to a third country. Up to 10 days. Cross-province travel within 24 permitted provinces. Covered in detail in our 240-hour guide.

The countries on these three lists overlap but are not identical. US citizens, for example, are on the 240-hour transit list but not the 30-day list (yet). French citizens are on both the 30-day list and the 240-hour list. Brazilian citizens are on all three.

30-day unilateral visa-free: full list of 50 countries

As of 2026, ordinary passport holders from these 50 countries can enter China for up to 30 days without a visa for tourism, business, family visits, exchange, or transit. The clock starts at 00:00 the day after arrival.

Europe (35 countries)

France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom.

Asia (7 countries)

South Korea, Japan, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain.

Oceania (2 countries)

Australia, New Zealand.

Americas (6 countries)

Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay.

Verified: “Holders of ordinary passports from the following 50 countries may enter and stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa for business, tourism, exchange, transit, or visiting family.” — Shanghai Government, citing National Immigration Administration, accessed 2026-07-24

Important caveats

• Most policies expire December 31, 2026. Renewals are widely expected — the Chinese government has extended these policies every 6–12 months since 2023 — but verify before booking. Russia is the only country with a 2027 expiration in the current cycle.
• You cannot work, study, or do journalism on a visa-free entry. The activities are explicitly limited to tourism, business meetings, family visits, exchange programs, and transit.
• Tibet, Xinjiang, and other restricted regions still need a special permit, even for visa-free travelers. For Tibet, you must book through a registered travel agency.
• 30 days is a hard cap. If you need longer, you must apply for an L-visa at a Chinese embassy in advance. You can also apply for an extension at a local Public Security Bureau once in China, but it’s at officer discretion and typically only for documented emergencies.

30-day mutual visa exemption: full list of 29 countries

These countries have bilateral agreements with China where both Chinese and their citizens can visit without visas. The stays are usually 30 days per visit, and many have a 90/180-day cumulative limit (you can spend up to 90 of any 180 days in the country).

Asia (11 countries)

United Arab Emirates (30 days, since January 16, 2018), Qatar (30 days, December 21, 2018), Armenia (90 days, January 19, 2020), Maldives (30 days, May 20, 2022), Kazakhstan (30 days, November 10, 2023), Malaysia (30 days, July 17, 2025), Singapore (30 days, February 9, 2024), Thailand (60 days per visit, March 1, 2024 — currently the longest), Georgia (30 days, May 28, 2024), Azerbaijan (30 days, July 16, 2025), Uzbekistan (30 days, June 1, 2025).

Europe (5 countries)

Albania (90 days, March 18, 2023), Belarus (30 days, August 10, 2018), Bosnia and Herzegovina (90 days, May 29, 2018), Serbia (30 days, January 15, 2017), San Marino (90 days, July 22, 1985 — the oldest agreement).

Americas (7 countries)

Antigua and Barbuda (30 days, May 11, 2024), Barbados (30 days, May 11, 2024), Bahamas (90 days, February 12, 2014), Dominica (30 days, September 19, 2022), Ecuador (90 days, August 18, 2016), Grenada (30 days, June 10, 2015), Suriname (30 days, May 1, 2021).

Oceania (5 countries)

Fiji (30 days, March 14, 2015), Tonga (30 days, August 19, 2016), Solomon Islands (30 days, December 28, 2024), Samoa (30 days, April 2, 2025), Federated States of Micronesia (30 days, since 2015).

Africa (2 countries)

Mauritius (60 days per visit — generous, October 31, 2013), Seychelles (30 days, June 26, 2013).

Source: China Briefing complete guide.

Mutual agreements are generally open-ended — they don’t have the December 2026 expiration cliff that the unilateral 30-day list has. If you’re a citizen of one of these countries, your visa-free access is essentially permanent.

240-hour visa-free transit: 55 countries

The transit list overlaps with the other two but adds several major countries that aren’t on the 30-day unilateral list, including the United States. The full breakdown:

• Europe (40): Same 35 as the 30-day list, plus Czech Republic, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Andorra… wait, no — let me re-verify. The 240-hour list is: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus. (40 countries)
• Americas (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
• Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.
• Asia (7): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, Qatar, Indonesia.

Note: Indonesia was added to the 240-hour list in June 2025 but is not on the 30-day unilateral list. Mexico and Peru are on the 30-day list but not the 240-hour transit list. Always check both.

For step-by-step entry under the 240-hour rule, see China 240-hour visa-free transit.

Pearl River Delta, Hainan, Guilin, and Xishuangbanna: special zone policies

Several smaller regional policies also exist:

• Hainan (30 days, 59 countries). Tourists from 59 countries can visit Hainan island visa-free for 30 days, even on tour groups of just 1 person since 2023. This is independent of the mainland 30-day policy.
• Pearl River Delta (6 days, tour groups). Tourist groups of 2+ people entering from Hong Kong or Macau can visit 9 Guangdong cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou) for up to 6 days without a visa.
• Guilin (6 days, ASEAN tour groups). Groups of 2+ from ASEAN countries organized by a registered Guilin travel agency can visit Guilin for up to 6 days.
• Xishuangbanna (6 days, ASEAN tour groups). Similar to Guilin, applies to ASEAN groups entering through Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport, Mohan Railway Port, or Mohan Highway Port.
• Cruise groups (15 days). Foreign tourist groups of 2+ arriving by cruise ship at 13 Chinese coastal ports (Tianjin, Dalian, Shanghai, Qingdao, etc.) can stay up to 15 days and visit Beijing plus 11 coastal provinces.

These are useful for niche itineraries but rarely apply to general tourism.

How to verify before you book

China’s visa policy is updated frequently — usually every 3–6 months. Before booking flights, check three sources:

1. The Chinese embassy in your country. The most authoritative for your specific passport.
2. The National Immigration Administration (NIA) hotline: +86-010-12367 (24/7, English and Chinese).
3. Your airline’s visa information page. Most major carriers maintain updated country-by-country requirement lists.

If you have a non-standard passport (diplomatic, official, service, or a travel document issued by a non-government body), the regular visa-free rules may not apply. Contact the embassy directly.

What if your country isn’t on any list?

You need a tourist L-visa. The process takes 4 working days, costs $30–$140 depending on nationality, and since 2024 US applicants don’t need to provide flight or hotel bookings. Full instructions at China tourist visa guide.

For 24-hour direct transit (any nationality, stay in your arrival city only), no visa is needed at all. If you have a long layover in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, you can leave the airport, see one attraction, and catch your next flight.

The bottom line: if your country is on the 50-country unilateral list, China is genuinely visa-free. If you’re from one of the 29 mutual-exemption countries, you have a long-standing bilateral agreement. If you’re on the 55-country transit list and your itinerary has a third country, you can stay up to 10 days. And if none of those apply, the L-visa is straightforward and quick.

Check your passport, check the lists above, and book the trip.

Where to book

If your passport qualifies for visa-free entry, start with these booking links:

• Book your flight to China — Trip.com often has the best round-trip rates
• Browse China-wide hotels — your entry point for hotel search

Affiliate disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.