China is one of the world’s most fascinating travel destinations, offering rich culture, diverse landscapes, and incredible food. But before you pack your bags and book your flight, there is one important question: Do you need a visa to visit China?

Generally, I would say yes but… there are some exceptions.

The answer largely depends on your nationality, travel plans, length of visit and the purpose of your visit.

The regulations can be a bit confusing so in this post, I’ll (try to) break down everything you need to know about the Chinese visa requirements so you can have a stress-free trip.

The regulations have changed quite a lot recently, so I would always check with your embassy for the latest rules. The new 30-day visa-free could be great for some of you!

When you will need a visa to enter China

For most travellers, a visa is required to enter mainland China. Citizens of the UK, United States, Canada, and most European countries will need to apply for a visa before travelling to China.

There are a few exceptions which I will get on to later but generally -

If you plan to travel to a few different cities in China.
If you plan on staying in China longer than 6 days (144 hrs).
If you are from a country that isn’t exempt from the regulations.
If you plan to visit China multiple times in the next couple of years for different lengths of visits.

- then you will need a visa for China.

Types of Visas for China

For those who do need a visa, there are several types depending on the nature of your visit, the most common is:

Tourist Visa (L Visa): This is for travellers looking to visit China for sightseeing or visiting friends and family. Tourist visas are typically valid for 30-90 days.

Things to note when applying:

Get a multiple-entry visa if you plan to go anywhere outside of mainland China and back again.

If you think you will visit China again get your visa to last a couple of years so that you don’t have to pay again in that time. In some countries, you can even apply for a 10-year visa!

If you plan to visit China for an extended period, then apply for a validity of 90 days so that you don’t have to exit.

If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you can exit China and return. Your visa days will start again, but only if you have a multiple-entry visa.

As this is a travel planning website you will probably get a tourist visa for your trip but other general visas are:

Business Visa (M Visa): For business-related visits, including meetings, conferences, or trade shows.
Student Visa (X Visa): If you're planning to study in China, you'll need a student visa, which is further divided into X1 (for long-term studies) and X2 (for short-term studies).
Work Visa (Z Visa): For those taking up employment in China, a work visa is required. This often requires additional documentation, such as a work permit.
Family Visa (Q & S Visa): If you are planning on visiting family who reside in China and staying for an extended period of time.

What are the visa exceptions for China?

Visiting Hong Kong and Macau

Many nationalities can visit Hong Kong and Macau without a visa (for a limited period.)

If you are from the UK you can stay in both for up to 6 months visa-free. If you are from the U.S. however you can visit Hong Kong for up to 90 days and Macau for up to 30 days. It changes for every country so make sure you check yours.

24-Hours Transit Visa

Travellers can enter China without a visa for up to 24 hours before continuing to their onward destination. They are not permitted to leave their arrival city if they leave the airport.

They can have multiple stops in Chinese airports if they don’t leave the airport and onward travel is within 24 hrs. For example, you could fly UK – Beijing - Guangzhou (within 24 hours) - New Zealand without a visa.

This is available to most countries but please check your Chinese embassy details before travelling.

144hr Transit Visas

Travellers can enter China for up to 144hrs (6 days) before leaving for a third country. So an extended layover before continuing your trip. This means you can’t get a return ticket to China from your country of origin you must be travelling to a different country, for example, UK – China – UK would not be eligible but UK – China – New Zealand would be fine.

This visa is only valid with travel through certain cities. You are only eligible to explore your arrival/departure city and the surrounding areas.

For example, if you land in Beijing you can explore Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei but you can’t go to Shanghai. In some cases, there are a few cities but in others, it would just be one city.

Here is the short version:

1. Guangdong
2. Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang
3. Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei
4. Liaoning
5. Chengdu
6. Xiamen
7. Qingdao
8. Wuhan
9. Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Yuxi, Puer, Chuxiong, Xishuangbanna, Honghe, Wenshan
10. Xi'an
11. Chongqing

Top Tip: Hong Kong and Macau are considered different regions so you could fly UK - Beijing - Hong Kong - UK without needing a visa. Or you could go back into mainland China to do another area before heading home, UK - Beijing - Hong Kong - Shanghai - UK.

Check out this blog post, which has a great table so you can see where you can travel which is in more detail.

This is a good option if you have a stop-over for a couple of days and want to see one area. Make sure you check your airport is eligible and that you want to visit the places in that area. If you want to travel to a few different places around the country, then you would need a visa.

The 54 countries that are eligible are:

25 countries in the Europe Schengen area: 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, and Switzerland.
15 other countries in Europe: Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, and Belarus.
Six countries in the Americas: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.
Two countries in Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.
Six countries in Asia: South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

China Highlights have a great tool on their website post where you can add your details to check if you qualify for the 144hr visa.

Check here

There is also a 72-hour visa but this is only available at 3 cities in China so chances are you will get the 144-hour visa instead.

Up to 30 days visa-free

From Nov 22nd 2024 China extended the list of countries and the length from 15 days to 30 days visa-free. If you plan to visit China for up to 30 days or less, you can stay visa-free if you are from one of these countries:

Andorra
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brunei
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
New Zealand
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Switzerland

You can enjoy visa-free travel if you are from the above countries until December 31st 2025, which has been extended from 2024. This is great news for people from these countries who aren’t on a layover. Unlike the 144-hour visa, you don’t need to travel to a third country you can return to your home country and you can see a lot of China in this time.

30 Days visa-free (no end date)

If you are from one of these qualifying countries you can experience China for 30 days visa-free:

Armenia
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dominica
Fiji
Grenada
The Maldives
Mauritius
San Marino
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Suriname
The United Arab Emirates

If you are visiting Hainan

If you decide to only visit the tropical island of Hainan, you can spend 30 days there visa-free, if you travel directly to there from outside mainland China.

You can go for business, to visit family, tourism, medical treatment, sports competitions, exhibitions etc.

There are 59 eligible countries which are:

· Albania

· Argentina

· Australia

· Austria

· Belarus

· Belgium

· Bosnia and Herzegovina

· Brazil

· Brunei

· Bulgaria

· Canada

· Chile

· Croatia

· Cyprus

· Czech Republic

· Denmark

· Estonia

· Finland

· France

· Germany

· Greece

· Hungary

· Iceland

· Indonesia

· Ireland

· Italy

· Japan

· Kazakhstan

· Latvia

· Lithuania

· Luxembourg

· Macedonia

· Malaysia

· Malta

· Mexico

· Monaco

· Montenegro

· Netherlands

· New Zealand

· Norway

· Philippines

· Poland

· Portugal

· Qatar

· Romania

· Russia

· Serbia

· Singapore

· Slovakia

· Slovenia

· South Korea

· Spain

· Sweden

· Switzerland

· Thailand

· UAE

· Ukraine

· UK

· USA

Another way to get visa-free travel is if you are travelling with certain tour groups to certain places in China or via a cruise that docks in China.

These vary depending on which country you are from, the areas you are visiting, and the duration. I would suggest checking this according to your needs or enquiring with the tour you are booking with.

What are the requirements for visa-free travel in China?

For pretty much all these options, you will need the following:

A valid passport or another international travel document that is valid for more than three months from the arrival date;
Two blank pages in your passport for stamps
A ticket with the confirmed departure date and seat number leaving China. (To qualify for the 24/72/144hr visa this needs to be to a third country.)
The landing card for foreigners in transit that is filled out upon arrival in China.

How do I get a visa for China?

If you need a visa, the process for applying is relatively straightforward but requires a bit of preparation. Here’s a quick overview:

Determine the type of visa: You need to apply for the visa type that matches your travel purpose.
Complete the application form: You can download the application form from the website of the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country.
Prepare required documents: These typically include:

A valid passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
A passport-sized photo.
Proof of travel arrangements (such as a round-trip ticket).
Hotel bookings or an invitation letter from a Chinese host.

Submit your application: Submit your completed application at the Chinese embassy or consulate in your home country. Some countries may allow submission via a visa application service centre.
Pay the visa fee: Fees vary depending on your nationality and the type of visa you are applying for.
Wait for approval: Processing times vary, but typically take about 4-7 business days. Expedited services may be available for an additional fee.

Tips:

Apply Early: Visa processing can take time, so make sure to apply at least a month in advance of your travel date.
Double-Check Requirements: Visa requirements can change, so always check the official website of the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country for the latest information.
Carry Copies: When travelling, it’s a good idea to carry photocopies of your visa and passport, as well as any other travel documents, in case of emergencies.

It is all a bit confusing but hopefully that broke it down a little bit for you. If you are unsure, always check your embassy for the latest information.

Don’t let the visa situation stress you out it is worth it for your trip, just make sure you leave enough time if you need to apply. If you need help planning your trip get in touch and I can help!

I need help!

Do I Need A Visa To Visit China?