China Visa-Free Entry 2026: 30-Day Exemption & 240-Hour Transit Explained
1. 30-day unilateral visa exemption
According to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (notice of 26 Aug 2026), ordinary passport holders from these countries can enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting family and friends, exchange visits or transit, staying up to 30 days, until 31 December 2026 (Russia until 31 Dec 2027):
Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, United Kingdom, Canada, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Russia.
The 30 days are counted from 00:00 on the day after you enter. Some other countries (for example Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia) have separate mutual visa-exemption agreements with their own terms; check the official list.
2. 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit
Nationals of 57 countries, including the United States, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico and most of Europe (Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on 20 Aug 2026), can enter through 65 designated ports and stay up to 10 days in the permitted areas, if they hold an onward ticket with a confirmed seat to a third country or region. A US–China–US round trip does not qualify; US–Shanghai–Seoul does. Hong Kong and Macau count as a third region.
3. Hainan 30-day entry
Nationals of 61 countries can enter Hainan Province visa-free for up to 30 days and stay within Hainan.
What you still need a visa for
Work, study and journalism always need the proper visa. Stays over the limit need a visa too.
Planning a business trip or a private stay?
Attending a trade fair counts as a short-term business activity: see our Canton Fair autumn 2026 guide. Staying with friends or in a rental rather than a hotel? You must register within 24 hours, and since 21 September 2026 this can be done online: see hotels and registration for foreigners.
Printable guides for this topic
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FAQ
Can Americans visit China without a visa in 2026?
Not under the 30-day exemption. US citizens can use 240-hour visa-free transit if they fly on to a third country or region, such as Japan, Korea or Hong Kong.
How long is the visa-free stay?
Up to 30 days under the unilateral exemption, or up to 240 hours (10 days) under transit, counted from 00:00 the day after entry.
Can I do business meetings visa-free?
Yes, short-term business activities are allowed; paid work is not.
Official sources
- Chinese Visa Application Service Center notice
- NIA: Unilateral visa-exemption country list
- NIA: 240-hour visa-free transit policy
- NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026
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