中国ビザガイド

Which route is right for me?

Unilateral visa-free entry (50 countries · ≤30 days)

Citizens of 50 eligible countries holding ordinary passports may enter China visa-free for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit, staying up to 30 days, through any open port of entry.

Requirements

• Passport valid for at least 6 months;
• Purpose: tourism, business, visiting family/friends, exchanges or transit;
• Stay no longer than 30 days;
• Entry through any open port.

Eligible countries (50)

Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden

Asia: South Korea, Japan, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

Americas: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay Eurasia: Russia, Canada, UK

Practical tips

• Border officers may ask about your purpose — carry return flight and hotel bookings;
• No work, study or pre-approval-requiring activities while visa-free;
• For stays over 30 days, obtain the appropriate visa in advance.

240-hour visa-free transit (55 countries · 10 days)

Travelers from 55 countries transiting China to a third country (region) may stay 240 hours (10 days) across 24 provinces — cross-province travel and separate entry/exit ports are allowed. For most Western visitors this is the most practical route.

Requirements

• Nationality of one of the 55 countries; travel document valid ≥ 3 months;
• A confirmed onward ticket (dated, seated) to a third country (region) within 240 hours — flights, high-speed rail or ferries all qualify (e.g. rail to Hong Kong (China), ferry to Macao (China));
• Fill in the temporary entry card and answer border questions on arrival.

Eligible countries (55)

Europe (40): Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway

Americas (6): USA, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand

Asia (7): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, Qatar, Indonesia

Where you can go

You may travel freely within 24 provinces/regions including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Shaanxi (some provinces limited to designated cities). Eligible ports include Beijing Capital/Daxing, Shanghai Pudong/Hongqiao, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Chengdu Tianfu/Shuangliu, Xi'an Xianyang, Kunming, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao airports, plus the HZMB bridge and West Kowloon rail port.

Cautions

• The onward ticket must be to a third country (region) — not a return ticket to China — and must be booked before entry;
• Not applicable to travelers entering the mainland from Hong Kong (China), Macao (China) or Taiwan (China);
• No work or study; overstaying = ¥500/day fine (max ¥10,000) and a permanent record;
• Travelers with illegal entry/exit records in the past 5 years are refused.

L tourist visa

Choose the classic L visa if your nationality isn't visa-free, you want to stay longer than 30 days, or you need multiple entries. The process is predictable and has been greatly simplified in recent years.

Documents

Fee reference (after reduction)

Reciprocal rates apply for some nationalities: USA USD 225, Canada USD 85 (any entries); UK / Australia / Japan approx. USD 45 / 70 / 90–135. The reduced fees run until 31 Dec 2026.

Special regional policies

Application process (L visa)

1. Apply online: register at the COVA system (consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA/), pick your consular district and upload documents.
2. Pre-review: the embassy/consulate pre-reviews within 1–2 working days.
3. Submit: bring your passport, application voucher and photos to the visa centre.
4. Pay & wait: pay visa and service fees; standard processing takes 4 working days.
5. Collect: pick up your passport with the receipt and check every visa field.

Extension: apply at the local exit-entry administration within 7 days before expiry; max 30 additional days. Visa-free and transit entries generally cannot be extended in-country. Overstaying is unlawful — leave within your window.

Pre-departure checklist

• ① Confirm entry route: visa-free / 240h transit / L visa
• ② Passport valid ≥ 6 months (≥ 3 months for transit)
• ③ Return/onward ticket ready (transit requires a booked onward ticket)
• ④ Hotel booking confirmation (may be checked)
• ⑤ Travel insurance covering medical and changes
• ⑥ Essential apps installed: payment, maps, translation, ride-hailing
• ⑦ Roaming or eSIM arranged for day-one connectivity
• ⑧ Arrival card filed in advance (entrycard.nia.gov.cn)
• ⑨ Copies of passport, visa page and itinerary
• ⑩ Customs rules: no meat, fruit or some medicines
• ⑪ Emergency numbers: 12367 (immigration), 110 (police), 120 (ambulance)
• ⑫ Confirm departure within your permitted stay

FAQ