If you are planning a holiday in China, do one thing before paying for flights: work out which entry rule applies to the passport, dates and route you will actually use. Once that is clear, you can choose cities, nights and tickets that fit the rule.
This guide takes you through that order. It covers short visits to mainland China. It cannot decide entry eligibility from nationality alone, and an arrival card is not a visa or permission to enter.
01 · Before you search for tickets
Write down five facts about your trip
Keep these beside you while opening the official pages. A generic search for “China visa free” cannot account for a different passport type, a stopover or a trip planned after a policy expires.
- Your travel document
- Nationality shown on the passport, whether it is an ordinary passport, and its expiry date.
- Your reason for travel
- Tourism, visiting someone, business, transit or another purpose. Work, study and reporting need separate checks.
- Your mainland dates
- The planned entry and exit dates. Calculate the permitted stay under the rule that applies, not just by counting hotel nights.
- Your full route
- Country or region before mainland China, each mainland arrival and departure port, and the next country or region.
- Your first stay
- The city and address of your first hotel or host. You can choose the property after checking the entry route.
If you hold more than one passport, decide which one you will use for the booking and for entry, then check that document. Do not mix details from two passports.
02 · Check the rule yourself
Find the entry path before you book
Open the pages below in order. Record the policy name and the page date in your trip notes; you will need to recheck them shortly before departure.
First, check an ordinary tourist visit
Find your nationality on the NIA list of countries with 30-day visa-free visits. Then read the Foreign Ministry FAQ for the passport type, permitted purpose, day count and policy end date. As reviewed on 18 October 2026, that FAQ says the policy for 48 of its 50 listed countries ends on 31 December 2026; Russia is listed through 31 December 2027 and Brunei without an end date. A trip after a listed end date needs a fresh policy check.
If your nationality is absent, check the mutual visa-exemption list. Read your country’s row carefully: many agreements cover diplomatic or official passports only, while others include ordinary passports and may have different stay conditions. Do not treat a country name alone as proof.
For the unilateral 30-day policy, the Foreign Ministry says the count starts on the day after entry. It says an ordinary passport must be valid for at least the intended stay. Your airline, visa application or next destination may impose other document requirements, so check those too. Ordinary visa-free tourism does not require you to continue to a third country; that is a separate transit rule.
The same FAQ says eligible travelers can use the waiver multiple times, with no current limit on the number of entries or total days, provided every trip matches a permitted purpose. Minors are subject to the same waiver conditions as adults, including holding a valid ordinary passport.
If you are passing through China, test the whole route
The NIA transit policy has two different paths. Its 24-hour rule concerns travel onward to a third country or region while remaining in the port’s restricted area; leaving that area requires a temporary entry permit from port immigration. The 240-hour rule permits eligible ordinary-passport holders to enter through designated ports and stay in permitted areas while traveling onward to a third country or region.
Write the route as A → mainland China → B. Under the transit policy, B must be a third country or region; A → China → A is not that journey. Then check your nationality, the confirmed onward seat and date, both ports and every mainland city you plan to visit against the NIA notice. A self-transfer or change of airport also needs a careful check before you buy.
Route example · read the whole ticket
A stop in China is not always transit
Home → China → Home
Check an ordinary visa-free visit or visa. Returning to the same country or region does not meet the third-place requirement for visa-free transit.
Country A → China → Place B
If B is a third country or region, check the 240-hour policy’s nationality, ticket, port and stay-area conditions before booking.
If neither path fits, check the visa application route
First, make sure you are not relying on a regional or organized-tour exemption. For example, the Hainan policy is limited to that province; it cannot be used as a general route to Beijing or Shanghai. If no applicable exemption fits, look for the L visa instructions from the Chinese embassy, consulate or visa application centre responsible for where you apply.
Requirements and processing steps vary by location. Follow that office’s document list, application method and timing; do not assume that a hotel booking, invitation or passport-validity rule from another country’s visa centre applies to you.
If you intend to stay beyond the visa-free period or your purpose is work, study or news reporting, check the appropriate visa before planning the trip as a holiday exemption.
03 · Now plan the holiday
Turn the rule into a bookable itinerary
Once you know the entry path, build the route in this order. This prevents a cheap flight or attractive city combination from quietly breaking the conditions you just checked.
Set the arrival and exit dates
Keep the whole mainland stay within your applicable allowance and policy validity. Leave room for disruption rather than placing an essential departure on the last permitted day. If you need a visa, allow time to receive it before committing to a non-refundable departure.
Choose the ports and city order
An ordinary visa-free visit and a 240-hour transit visit have different route constraints. For transit, check both the designated entry/exit ports and the permitted stay area before adding any city. For a normal tourist visit, choose cities around travel time and availability, then check the public holiday calendar.
Check the hard-to-change reservations
Price the full flight route and any intercity trains, confirm the first night’s accommodation and its late check-in arrangements, then check tickets for must-see attractions. Use flexible bookings where possible while the entry route or visa application is unresolved.
Keep names and documents aligned
Book flights, trains and accommodation with the name and document number from the passport you will carry. Save the first hotel’s Chinese name, full address and phone number, and the return or onward itinerary.
04 · Beyond the mainland entry
Hong Kong, Macao and restricted regions
A mainland visa or visa-free entry does not automatically cover every stop on a wider itinerary. Check these separately before you book the connecting transport.
Hong Kong and Macao
Hong Kong and Macao have separate immigration rules. Check the rule for your passport and route even when both cities are part of one ticket; a mainland entry document is not a substitute.
Tibet and border regions
Tibet and some border or restricted areas require an additional permit, usually arranged through a licensed local operator before travel. Confirm the current rule and processing time before booking.
If your itinerary crosses a land border or includes a restricted area, check the port and permit requirements before paying for non-refundable transport.
05 · Before the flight
Make the trip easy to explain at check-in and arrival
Reopen the official policy and your airline’s document requirements shortly before travel. If anything changed since booking, resolve it before you reach the airport.
- Carry the original passport used in your bookings, and any visa or approval required for your route. Save a copy of the relevant official rule for offline reference.
- Keep your route together: flight or other arrival details, return/onward ticket if applicable, first accommodation details and any document supporting your stated purpose. The Foreign Ministry FAQ recommends carrying flights and accommodation reservations as supporting evidence for visa-free entry.
- Use the free official arrival card if required for your arrival. The NIA notice links to the official form and says port devices and paper cards remain available. Completing a card does not replace a visa or establish eligibility.
- Know who registers your stay: hotels submit accommodation registration; for non-hotel lodging, the traveler or host must arrange it within 24 hours after check-in under the NIA rule.
If the answer is still uncertain
Ask about your exact passport, planned dates, purpose and complete route. The NIA 12367 service supports immigration questions; the published notice lists +86 12367 and English service. For visa applications, use the Chinese mission or visa centre responsible for your location. Ask the airline to verify document rules for the ticket you intend to buy.
If your passport is lost or plans change after entry, contact your embassy or consulate and the local immigration authority promptly. Do not assume that an existing exemption automatically extends.
Official sources and review
Reviewed 18 October 2026. The NIA unilateral list was dated 17 February 2026; the transit notice was dated 20 August 2026. The Foreign Ministry FAQ includes policy end dates, so check again for the day you will actually travel.