China Visa-Free Countries 2026: Complete List (50 Countries)
The 50 countries whose citizens can enter China visa-free for 30 days in 2026, grouped by region, plus the 240-hour transit scheme.
Citizens of 50 countries can now enter mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days — for tourism, business, visiting family, exchanges or transit.
This guide is the definitive list as of August 2026, grouped by region, with the rules that matter and the expiry dates you need to plan around.
An eligible passport is the key to visa-free entry — most of the 50 countries are in Europe, plus Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and several in the Middle East and Latin America.
The 50 countries (by region)
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, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
Americas (6)
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay
Oceania (2)
Australia, New Zealand
Why the UK and Canada matter here: both were added on 17 February 2026. If you’re traveling from either country, you no longer need a visa for stays up to 30 days — see our UK visa-free guide.
How the visa-free entry works
- Duration: up to 30 days, counted from the day after arrival.
- Purposes: tourism, business, visiting family/friends, exchanges, and transit.
- Passport: a valid ordinary passport from an eligible country.
- Entry: through any open port in mainland China — air, land or sea.
- Re-entry: currently no stated limit on the number of entries or total days.
- Not included: work, study, or journalism/media activity.
Ports of entry and border practicalities
Visa-free entry works through any open port in mainland China — international airports, land crossings and rail ports. Most travelers fly into Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, but the same rules apply if you arrive overland: crossing into Shenzhen from Hong Kong, driving in from Vietnam, Laos or Kazakhstan, or riding the rail line in from Mongolia all count as ports of entry.
Two things happen at the border that often surprise first-timers. First, China takes fingerprints and a photo of foreign visitors on entry — a quick, routine step at the immigration desk. Second, you will be asked your purpose and, sometimes, your itinerary; answering briefly and showing your hotel booking is all that’s needed. Entry is recorded electronically, and the exit officer will see the same record when you leave, which is why overstaying is easy to detect.
At immigration, officers take fingerprints and a photo and may ask your purpose and itinerary — have your passport and hotel booking ready.
For travelers arriving via Hong Kong or Macau, note the important distinction: those two territories are not covered by mainland visa-free entry, and a stop in them does not reset or extend a mainland stay. You clear mainland immigration separately when you cross the border. If your plan involves leaving mainland China for Hong Kong and coming back, treat it as a fresh entry and re-check the rules for your passport before you go.
What if your country isn’t on the list?
Two things may still apply:
- 240-hour transit scheme — covers 55 countries and lets eligible travelers stay up to 10 days without a visa, provided they hold a booked onward ticket to a third country within 240 hours. This is a separate scheme from the 30-day visa-free entry.
- A visa — if neither scheme applies to you, apply for the right visa at a Chinese embassy or consulate before you travel.
Note for US citizens: the US is not on the 30-day unilateral list. US passport holders can either apply for a visa, or — if their trip qualifies — use the 240-hour transit scheme. See our guide on that.
Expiry dates to plan around
| Country group | Status |
|---|---|
| Brunei | No expiry (long-term) |
| Russia | Extended to 31 December 2027 |
| All other 48 countries | Valid until 31 December 2026 |
China has already extended these policies once (in 2025), so an extension is plausible — but don’t book on an assumption. Check the official sources below, or revisit this page (we update it the moment rules change).
What to prepare at the border
Visa-free entry still happens at immigration, and officers can (and sometimes do) ask to see the basics. Have these ready before you join the queue:
- A passport valid for your entire stay — confirm the current validity requirement, but six months from your arrival date is the common benchmark.
- Proof of where you’re staying — a hotel booking or a written address if you’re staying with friends or family. Immigration may ask, and a hotel address that matches your reservation is the smoothest answer.
- An onward ticket or itinerary — not always requested, but frequently asked for; have a copy in your phone or printed.
- Your arrival registration details — China runs an online arrival card for inbound travelers; filling it out before you land speeds up the process. See the online arrival card guide for the current form.
- Your passport for hotel check-in — once you’re in, every hotel is required to register you with the local police using your actual passport. A photo is not accepted.
How the days are counted — and how not to overstay
The 30 days run from the day after you arrive. If you land on the 1st, your first counted day is the 2nd, and you may stay through the 30th. Departure day counts as part of the stay, so plan your outbound flight to leave you a margin rather than landing on the very last day — if a flight is delayed and you exit a day late, you are officially overstaying.
Overstaying is taken seriously. Border officers may impose a fine and note it in your record, and a serious overstay can complicate future entry. If you think you’ll exceed 30 days, the correct move is to leave and re-enter on a fresh entry, or to apply for a proper visa before traveling — an overstay is never the solution. Travelers who know they need longer should look at visa options and extensions before booking.
Visa-free entry vs. the 240-hour transit scheme
The two schemes are easy to confuse, but the choice matters:
| 30-day visa-free | 240-hour transit | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | 50 countries | 55 countries |
| Stay | Up to 30 days | Up to 10 days (240 hours) |
| Key condition | Eligible passport | Onward ticket to a third country within 240 hours |
| Typical use | A normal holiday | Short stopovers, or travelers not on the 30-day list |
If your passport is on the 30-day list, use it — no onward-ticket requirement, a longer stay, and you can leave from any port. Use the transit scheme when it is your only option (for example, US citizens on a short trip) or when your itinerary genuinely is a stopover. The two are separate; you cannot mix them to stack days. See the 240-hour transit guide for the port and route rules.
What you can’t do on visa-free entry
The visa-free entry is strictly for the listed purposes: tourism, business, visiting family or friends, exchanges, and transit. It does not cover work, study, or journalism and media activity — all of which require the appropriate visa, and border officers can and do check for this. Arriving visa-free and then taking up employment or enrolling in a course puts you in violation of your entry status, with consequences that can include fines, detention and a future entry ban.
It is also worth remembering that admission is discretionary at the border. A traveler who cannot show a return ticket, a place to stay, or evidence matching the stated purpose can be refused entry even with an eligible passport. The system is friendly to genuine visitors, but it expects the basics.
How the scheme has evolved — and why that matters
China’s visa-free opening is recent and fast-moving. The current 50-country, 30-day arrangement is the widest version yet, reached through a series of expansions — first widening the country list, then extending stays from the earlier shorter durations, and adding the UK and Canada in February 2026. The separate transit scheme has broadened in parallel, growing in both the number of covered countries and the allowed window.
The practical point: these policies expire. Most of the unilateral visa-free arrangements run only until 31 December 2026, with Russia extended to December 2027 and Brunei open-ended. China has extended and expanded this framework before — the article’s own history notes a prior extension in 2025 — so a renewal is plausible, but it is not a guarantee. Rules are enforced at the border on the day you travel, not on the day you book. Always re-check the official sources below before buying tickets, and revisit this page, which we update the moment the rules change.
With the visa rules confirmed, booking flights is the next step — check your passport against the list before you buy.
Where to verify
- National Immigration Administration (NIA) — en.nia.gov.cn
- Your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate — each publishes current visa-free notices
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcements
Last updated: August 2026. Entry rules change frequently and are enforced at the border — always confirm with official sources before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my country is on the visa-free list?
Check the regional lists in this guide. As a rule of thumb, the 50 unilateral visa-free countries are mostly in Europe, plus Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, a group of Middle Eastern countries, and several in Latin America. The UK and Canada were added in February 2026.
My country isn't on the list — can I still enter without a visa?
Possibly, via the separate 240-hour transit scheme, which covers 55 countries and lets you stay up to 10 days with a booked onward ticket to a third country. If neither scheme applies, you'll need a visa — apply at a Chinese embassy or consulate before you travel.
How long does the visa-free stay last?
Up to 30 days, counted from the day after arrival, for the unilateral scheme. The 240-hour transit scheme allows up to 10 days.
Do the visa-free rules expire?
Most unilateral visa-free arrangements currently run until 31 December 2026. Brunei's has no expiry, and Russia's has been extended to 31 December 2027. China has extended these policies before, but don't assume — always re-check before booking.
Does visa-free entry cover Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan?
No. Visa-free entry applies to mainland China only. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have separate entry rules.