China's Visa-free policy: Things to know

Requirements for Visa-Free Travel to China

Here are a few of the requirements to enjoy the 240 hours (10-day) visa-free travel to China:

Eligible countries

You must hold nationality from one of the following eligible countries:

Asia: Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

Europe: 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, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

North America: United States, Canada.

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico.

Australia: Australia, New Zealand.

Valid passport requirements

Your passport should be valid for the entire period of your stay in China. However, you must ensure that your passport has at least six months of validity from the time of entry into China.

Confirmed travel tickets

You must show evidence of a return ticket. Foreign nationals on a layover in China without a visa must have tickets with a confirmed date and seat for their onward trip.

Certain open ports in China

You can only arrive at certain airports in China under the 10-day visa-free policy. However, PandaPaths manages this step entirely, so you can focus on enjoying your trip.

Itinerary

You may be asked to provide an itinerary or schedule for your stay in China at immigration. If you’re travelling with a tour group, you can provide the organised itinerary, or if you are visiting friends and family, you can provide details of your stay.

We will provide you with your itinerary for the journey.

Accommodation registration

Foreign nationals travelling to China must register their details with the local police within 24 hours of entering China. Usually, the hotel where you stay does the registration automatically. However, if you get private accommodation, you must register your name at the local police station. Some cities, like Shanghai, allow for online registration.

Keep in mind that there may be additional requirements- it is best to check with your airlines and the embassies directly.

Our guides will assist you in the registration.

Note: If you are eligible for the 240-hour visa-free stay in China, you can stay for a maximum of 10 days. The visa-free stay period starts at 00:00 the next day after entry.

Prohibited activities

Visa-free travel makes travelling easier, but it doesn’t mean you can do anything you’d like in China. Here are some of the things you can’t do during your stay:

• Study

• Work or take part in income-earning activities

• Engage in journalistic activities

Application Process for Visa-Free Travel to China

Here is how to prepare for visa-free travel to China.

Pre-travel preparation

1. Check which category for visa-free entry you fall into, depending on your nationality.

2. If you’re travelling for a stay in China, you must check to confirm whether you are eligible for the 24/240-hour or the 15/30-day visa-free entry.

3. Keep your international travel documents, such as passports, destination country visas, and confirmed flight tickets, ready for inspection at the Chinese entry port.

   
   

Arrival procedures

1. Gather your travel documents and have them easily accessible.

2. Fill out the landing card for foreigners in transit on arrival in China.

3. Be ready with your itinerary or schedule for your stay, plus accommodation details.

4. You should not leave the port without a temporary entry permit, even if your stay in transit is less than 24 hours.

5. Please check with the airline company about their boarding policy because you must enter and exit China through the same port. Guangdong province is an exception.

   
   

Border inspection process

Every visitor to China, while in transit or otherwise, has to go through the border inspection process. You must submit your travel documents for inspection at the border entry/exit port.

Visa-free entry into China doesn’t require any prior registration with a Chinese consular office.

Required forms

You don’t need to fill out any forms before arriving in China for a visa-free entry. However, you must complete the landing card at the entry port and present your international travel documents for inspection.

Restrictions & Exclusions

While China has a friendly visa-free policy for some, it’s important to note that there are specific restrictions and exclusions to keep in mind. Let’s take a closer look.

Ineligibility criteria

You may be deemed ineligible for a visa-free stay for the following reasons:

• You are not a national of any of the countries whose citizens are eligible for a visa-free stay in China

• The Chinese laws and administrative regulations don’t permit you to enter China

• Your travel document or passport is expiring within three months

• Your travel document contains a previous rejection stamp from a Chinese visa-issuing authority

• You have illegally entered, exited, resided, or worked in China in the last five years

• You have violated any Chinese accommodation registration regulations in the last two years

• You don’t show evidence of leaving the country once you’ve entered