China travel planning
Find out whether you can enter China under the 30-day visa-free policy, use the 240-hour transit policy, or should apply for a regular visa before booking.
Answer 4 quick questions and we will tell you whether you can enter visa-free, use the 240-hour transit policy, or should apply for a regular visa.
Policy data last verified: 2026-05-16
If you are planning your first trip to China, start with one question: which entry path applies to you right now? As of February 2026, ordinary passport holders from 50 countries can usually enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family or friend visits, exchange, and transit. If you are not on that list but your route is from one place through China to a third country or region, you may qualify for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy. If neither path fits your situation, you should expect to apply for a regular visa before you travel.
As of the latest public guidance in February 2026, ordinary passport holders from the following 50 countries can generally enter China visa-free for up to 30 days.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Brunei, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Australia, and New Zealand.
Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and Canada.
If you hold an ordinary passport from the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, France, or Germany, your first check is usually the 30-day visa-free policy. If you hold a US passport, you are not currently on this 50-country list, so you would normally look at the 240-hour transit policy or a regular visa instead.
Public guidance also notes that the 30-day stay is counted from 00:00 on the day after entry. The policy itself is time-sensitive, so it is smart to verify the latest official notice again before booking non-refundable flights.
The current public guidance says the 30-day visa-free policy covers common short-trip purposes including tourism, business, visiting family or friends, exchange visits, and transit. For a first-time leisure trip to places like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, or Chengdu, that usually means you should check whether your passport is on the eligible-country list before assuming you need a traditional tourist visa.
Visa-free does not mean preparation-free. Even if you are eligible, it is still wise to keep your hotel address, rough itinerary, onward or return ticket details, and a passport with sufficient validity ready before you fly.
If you are not on the 30-day visa-free list, do not jump straight to the conclusion that you need a regular visa. China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy is still highly relevant for many first-time visitors. As of the latest official notice, it applies to citizens of 55 countries and is available at 65 ports across 24 provincial- level areas.
The key difference is that this is a transit policy, not a general short-stay policy. What matters most is whether your route is truly from one place through China to a third country or region, and whether your entry port and stay area fall within the official policy rules.
If you hold a US passport and plan to travel from the United States to China and then onward to Japan, South Korea, or Hong Kong, you should review the 240-hour transit policy carefully. If your route is effectively a return trip without a qualifying third destination, or if your entry port does not match the policy, you should not assume you are covered.
A regular visa is usually the safer path if your nationality is not on the 30-day list, your route does not meet the 240-hour transit requirements, your planned stay is longer than the current visa-free limits, or your purpose of travel falls outside normal short-term tourism and visits. It is also the safer route if your itinerary is complicated and you cannot clearly confirm that a visa-free option applies.
For first-time travelers, the most expensive mistake is often buying non-refundable tickets first and only later trying to work out which entry path actually applies. It is usually better to confirm your entry basis before locking the whole itinerary.
If you are on the 50-country list, read the latest 30-day visa-free notice before you book. If you are not on that list but your route passes through China on the way to a third destination, read the 240-hour transit rules next. If neither path clearly fits, start your regular visa research first, then book the trip around that.
Once your entry path is clear, the next planning tasks that matter most are how you will pay, which apps you should install, and how you will move around China.