Which entry route may fit your trip?
Use this as an initial planning check, then verify your exact passport and itinerary with official sources before booking.
Direct visa-free entry
Your ordinary passport appears on the current unilateral exemption list and your purpose is permitted.
Potential stay: up to 30 days
Visa-free transit
You are travelling from one country or region, through China, and onward to a different country or region.
Potential stay: up to 240 hours
Standard visa route
Your nationality, purpose, duration or itinerary does not meet either visa-free pathway.
Check the relevant Chinese embassy
Selected visa-free stays
Official list
Check before booking
Passport
An ordinary passport issued by one of the countries on the current official list.
Permitted purposes
Business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits or transit.
Maximum stay
Up to 30 days. The official guidance calculates the stay from 00:00 on the day after entry.
Not covered
Work, long-term study and other activities that require prior approval or a suitable visa.
Europe · 35
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Asia · 7
Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Oceania · 2
Australia and New Zealand.
Americas · 6
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.
240-hour visa-free transit
Transit policy
Approved ports and areas
Illustrative structure: London → Beijing → Tokyo may fit the transit pattern; London → Beijing → London does not. Final eligibility depends on nationality, ports, permitted areas, documents and confirmed onward travel.
Nationality
You must hold a passport from a country covered by the current transit policy.
Onward journey
A confirmed ticket with a seat and departure date to a third country or region is required.
Entry and travel area
You must use a designated port and remain within the areas permitted by the policy.
Maximum stay
No more than 240 hours, or 10 days, under the current national policy.
Europe · 40
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 and the United Kingdom.
Oceania · 2
Australia and New Zealand.
Americas · 6
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and the United States.
Asia · 7
Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
A five-point verification checklist.
A route that looks eligible can still fail if one practical condition is wrong.
Passport
Confirm nationality, passport type and remaining validity.
Purpose
Make sure tourism or your other planned activity is permitted.
Route
For transit, confirm the origin–China–onward pattern.
Ports & area
Check the arrival port and permitted travel area.
Final check
Reconfirm with the NIA, relevant embassy and operating airline.
Not sure which rule fits your itinerary?
Use this page as a planning checklist first. If your route has special conditions, share the details later so we can help you identify what should be verified before booking.