China Visa Free Travel Guide 2026: 240-Hour Transit & 30-Day Entry
Select your passport issuer to check China's 30-day entry and 240-hour transit policy lists.
Check policies for your passport
This page covers two common visa-free options for entering China:
- 240-hour visa-free transit: Requires holding a confirmed onward ticket to a country or region different from where you arrived
- 30-day visa-free policy: Does not require a transit ticket
When using the 240-hour transit policy, you must hold a confirmed onward ticket to a different country or region. The unilateral 30-day policy does not require a transit itinerary.
Other exemptions also exist, including bilateral agreements and regional policies. The lists below cover only these two options.
Travel Route Strategy
Example:
- 240-hour visa-free transit: A → Mainland China → B, where A and B must be different countries or regions
- 30-day visa-free: No third-country transit route is required; enter and leave through ports open to foreign nationals
Planning a second entry
Hong Kong and Macao are treated as separate regions for route analysis. An itinerary involving either region may qualify only if every entry independently meets the applicable policy conditions.
Route example: Tokyo → Mainland China → Hong Kong → Mainland China → Tokyo
Re-entry is not guaranteed and should reflect a genuine permitted purpose. Border authorities assess each entry separately.Note: Check Hong Kong and Macao entry policies for your nationality.
240-Hour Visa-Free Transit
Effective June 12, 2025 (including Indonesia). Nationals from 55 countriesmay use China's 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy when their route, documents, port and permitted travel area meet the official rules.
Europe (40 countries):
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
Other Regions:
Americas (6): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, United States
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand
Asia (7): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, United Arab Emirates
30-Day Visa-Free
China has extended unilateral visa-free policy to 50 countries. Travelers holding ordinary passports from these countries can enter China for business, tourism, family/friends visits, exchange, and transit purposes, staying up to 30 days without a visa.
Eligible Countries (50 total):
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Uruguay
Official Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs — unilateral visa-free policy FAQ
Country-specific notices: UK and Canada addition · Russia extension through 31 December 2027
The current MFA FAQ states no end date for Brunei, extends Russia through 31 December 2027, and schedules the other 48 unilateral waivers through 31 December 2026.
Malaysia: Malaysian ordinary-passport holders are covered separately by a bilateral agreement for up to 30 days per visit and 90 days in any 180-day period. Official bilateral agreement FAQ.
Important Notes:
- For unilateral 30-day entry, use an ordinary passport valid for at least your intended stay
- For 240-hour transit, carry a valid international travel document and a confirmed onward ticket with a seat and departure date
- Always verify current visa policies before travel as they may change
- Keep proof of onward travel when using transit policies
- The 240-hour policy is available through 65 designated ports in 24 provincial-level regions; remain within the permitted area
Last updated: July 13, 2026