China Visa-Free Countries 2026
2026-11-04 20:13
"Visa-free" in China covers four different schemes: unilateral waiver, mutual exemption agreements, transit waiver, and regional waivers. Eligible travellers, permitted length of stay and permitted area differ in each case. Knowing the list is not enough if the conditions do not match your trip.
One: unilateral waiver, 50 countries, up to 30 days
Europe (35): France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom.
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.
Asia (7): Brunei, Republic of Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain.
Americas (6): Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Canada.
Conditions: an ordinary passport, and a purpose of business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchanges, or transit, with a stay of no more than 30 days, counted from midnight of the day after entry.
two: mutual exemptions, about 29 countries
San Marino, Seychelles, Mauritius, Bahamas, Fiji, Grenada, Ecuador, Tonga, Serbia, Barbados, the UAE, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Qatar, Armenia, Suriname, Maldives, Dominica, Albania, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Thailand, Antigua and Barbuda, Georgia, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Malaysia.
These are reciprocal and defined by treaty, typically 30 days per visit and 90 days within any 180-day period.
Three: 240-hour transit waiver, 57 countries
For travellers passing through China en route to a third country or region, holding a valid travel document and a confirmed onward ticket with a seat. Entry is possible at 65 open ports, with a stay of up to 240 hours inside a designated area, for tourism, business, visits or family.
The list covers most of Europe plus the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the UAE, Qatar, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on 20 August 2026.
