China Visa-Free Policies for 2025 (Updated Dec. 17, 2024)

China offers several visa-free policies to facilitate travel for visitors from various countries in 2025. This allows travelers from the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and many other nations to visit China without the need for a visa. It's a great opportunity to explore the rich culture and beautiful landscapes of China. Be sure to check if you qualify for a visa-free policy and discover what you can do during your stay.

30-Day Visa-Free Policy

People of the following listed countries can enjoy a 30-day unilateral visa-free policy to visit China (Sorted by continent and alphabet):

• Asia: Brunei, Cyprus, Korea, Malaysia, Japan
• Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

This policy is available until the end of 2025. Travelers from the above listed counties holding valid ordinary passports can be exempted from visa requirement if entering into China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange and transit.

Foreign travelers who enjoy the visa-free policy may stay in China continuously without a visa from the date of entry to the 30th calendar day until 24:00. Currently there is no restriction on the number of entries or total days of stay.

240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

From Dec. 17, 2024, the 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit policies are upgraded to 240-hour visa-free transit. Currently, there are 60 open ports in 24 provinces/cities that implement a 240-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens from 54 countries. Check out the following conditions to see if you can enjoy the policy:

1. Citizens of the following 54 countries (Sorted by continent and alphabet):

• Asia: Brunei, Japan, Korea, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore
• Europe: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Serbia, North Macedonia.
• North America: Canada, Mexico, United States
• South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

2. Must hold a valid international travel document with a validity period of not less than 3 months and meet the entry conditions for traveling to a third country (region).

3. Must hold a connecting ticket or relevant certificate to a third country (region) with a confirmed date and seat within 240 hours, fill out a temporary entry foreigner entry card, and accept inspection and questioning by the entry and exit border inspection authorities.

Foreigners who meet the above conditions can apply to the border inspection authorities at 60 ports in Beijing, Shanghai and other places in China. The border inspection authorities will handle temporary entry procedures for travelers, and the visa-free stay period will be calculated from 0:00 on the next day of entry.

Provinces and Cities for Your 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Foreigners coming to China through the transit visa policy can travel across provinces within the following 24 provinces and cities:

Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi (Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin and other 9 cities), Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Shanxi (Taiyuan, Datong), Anhui, Jiangxi (Nanchang, Jingdezhen), Hainan, Guizhou

How to Make the Most of Your 240-Hour Transit

You Can Actually Stay More Than 240 Hours

When using the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, your stay begins at midnight on the day after your entry. For example, if you arrive in China on May 1, your visa-free stay starts on May 2. You can stay until midnight on May 11.

Explore China During Your Transit

Taking a short visit to your transit city is a great option. In cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and Guilin, a 1 to 3-day journey is usually sufficient to cover most popular attractions. Here are some suggested tours:

• 3 Days Beijing Imperial Palace & Great Wall Tour
• 1 Day Shanghai Glance
• 3 Days Hangzhou Highlights & Water Town Tour

As you are possible to travel across provinces, you may also check out the following tours of multiple destinations:

• 4 Days Impressions Trip through Shanghai and Suzhou
• 6 Days Beijing and Shanghai Tour
• 6 Day Chengdu & Jiuzhaigou Leisure Journey
• 6 Days Guizhou Ethnic Villages and Ancient Town Visit

If you prefer a customized experience, feel free to contact us. Just let us know when you will arrive and depart, and we will manage your itinerary. We will do our best to make your journey enjoyable and memorable while ensuring you catch your next flight.

24-Hour Visa-Free Transit

All open ports in China implement a 24-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals from around the world.

Foreigners holding valid international travel documents and confirmed connecting tickets for international flights, ships, or trains can transit through China to a third country or region without a visa, provided their stay does not exceed 24 hours and they do not leave the port. If they need to leave the port, they must apply for a temporary entry permit.