Thailand citizens: China visa requirements
The short answer
Holders of a Thailand passport are not visa-exempt for mainland China; visa-free entry is limited to Hainan province for up to 30 days, and travel to other provinces is not permitted.
- Entry
- Hainan only
- Where
- Hainan Province
- Onward ticket
- Required
- Work / study
- Visa required
The scheme that applies to you
Ordinary passport holders visiting Hainan for tourism, business, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions or sports (not work or study) may enter without a visa.
- Stay
- Up to 30 days
- You need
- A valid ordinary passport
- Permitted purposes
- Tourism, business, visits, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions, sports — not work or study
- Where it applies
- Hainan Province only, arriving and departing through Hainan’s open ports
- You cannot fly onward to mainland China on this policy — Hainan only.
- Combined with bilateral and unilateral agreements, nationals of 88 countries can currently enter Hainan visa-free.
- Individual travellers qualify; tour groups also qualify.
Take this to the airport
- Passport valid for the length of your stay — airlines often want six months.
- A confirmed onward ticket to a third country, with dates.
- Hotel bookings covering the first nights.
- For business travel, a letter from your company or the Chinese host.
What visa-free does not cover
- Work, study or news reporting — a visa is required.
- Stays beyond the permitted duration.
- Travel on temporary or emergency documents instead of an ordinary passport.
- A guarantee of entry: the border officer still decides.
Thailand travellers: common questions
Do Thailand citizens need a visa for China?+
No nationwide visa-free entry. Hainan only, visa-free for 30 days.
How long can Thailand citizens stay in China without a visa?+
Up to 30 days, but only in Hainan Province. Nationwide stays require a visa.
Can Thailand citizens work or study in China on visa-free entry?+
No. Work, study and news reporting are excluded from all three visa-free schemes and require a visa obtained before travel.
Other countries in Asia
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