Do you need a visa for China?
Most travellers from Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea, Canada and Brazil can now enter China for 30 days without a visa. Type your nationality for a straight answer — no sign-up, no email.
Checked against official sources daily30 seconds, no account
THREE WAYS IN
China runs three separate visa-free schemes
A country can appear in one, two or all three. Which one you use depends on your passport, your route and where you want to go.
30-day visa-free entry
Ordinary passport holders travelling for business, tourism, family visits, exchange programmes or transit may enter China without a visa and stay for up to 30 days.
Nationwide — any sea, land or air port open to foreign travellers
See the list240-hour visa-free transit
Ordinary passport holders holding a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region may enter China without a visa through any of 65 designated ports.
65 designated ports across 24 provinces; you must stay inside the designated area of that port
See the listHainan 30-day visa-free entry
Ordinary passport holders visiting Hainan for tourism, business, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions or sports (not work or study) may enter without a visa.
Hainan Province only, arriving and departing through Hainan’s open ports
See the listBY NATIONALITY
The markets most travellers ask about
No nationwide visa-free entry. 240-hour transit applies with an onward ticket, and Hainan is visa-free for 30 days.
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
No nationwide visa-free entry. 240-hour transit applies with an onward ticket, and Hainan is visa-free for 30 days.
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
Visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (policy runs until 31 December 2026).
WHAT YOU GET
An answer you can forward to your travel companion
Not a wall of policy text. Each country page gives you one plain-English sentence, the date the policy runs to, what to carry at the border, and the traps that actually catch people out.
One-sentence answer
Visa-free, transit only, or Hainan only — plus the exact end date of the policy.
Only the schemes that apply
No noise about policies your passport does not qualify for.
Route and ticket checks
For transit, whether your A → China → B itinerary and onward ticket actually qualify.
Example · German passport
Holders of a German passport may enter China visa-free for up to 30 days nationwide (business, tourism, family visit, exchange or transit), valid until 31 December 2026; also eligible for 240-hour transit and Hainan 30-day visa-free entry.
GUIDES
The questions that decide a trip
Do you need a visa for China?
Short answer: most travellers from Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea and Brazil do not need a visa for a trip of up to 30 days in 2026. Here is how to check in under a minute.
ReadTransit · 6 minChina’s 240-hour visa-free transit, explained
Ten days in China without a visa, if your itinerary is A → China → B. Here are the exact rules on tickets, ports, stay areas and what counts as transit.
ReadHainan · 5 minHainan visa-free entry: 30 days on the island
Hainan is visa-free for 61 countries (88 counting other agreements) for up to 30 days. The catch: you cannot continue to mainland China on this policy.
ReadQuick answers
Can I enter China without a visa right now?+
If you hold a passport from one of the 50 visa-free countries, yes — up to 30 days, anywhere in China, until at least 31 December 2026. Otherwise check the 240-hour transit scheme or the Hainan scheme.
Is there a visa on arrival in China?+
No, not for ordinary tourists. China uses visa-free entry, transit exemptions and visas issued in advance.
How long can I stay without a visa?+
30 days for the visa-free list, 240 hours (10 days) for transit, and 30 days in Hainan for the Hainan scheme.
Does visa-free entry guarantee I will be let in?+
No. It removes the visa application, but the border officer still decides. Carry a return ticket, hotel booking and proof of your purpose of travel.
When does the visa-free policy end?+
For 48 of the 50 countries, the current policy runs to 31 December 2026. Russia runs to 31 December 2027, and Brunei has no end date.
Entering visa-free is step one. The trip is the hard part.
Ten days, three cities, a train that only runs on Tuesdays. Our guides cover the practical side of moving around China once the visa question is settled.