China entry requirements, by passport
China visa requirements at a glance: 31 of the 81 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter China without arranging a visa beforehand — visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorization. The other 50 must obtain a visa before they travel.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for China for your nationality.
What we've verified for China
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 2026-08-10). The specifics depend on your nationality — open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Typical processing time
- Required documents (4)
- Required vaccinations
- Health-insurance rules
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Airport transit rules
Sources: en.nia.gov.cn, china-briefing.com, mychina.guide, travelchinaguide.com, and expatden.com (overstay penalties and customs) (checked 10 August 2026).
This table summarizes the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track — the difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorization, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorization: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 2026-09-17. Published: 2026-08-10.
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Australia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Austria | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Ecuador | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Finland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| France | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Georgia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Germany | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Greece | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Japan | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Malta | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 30 days |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Norway | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Poland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Romania | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 30 days |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Thailand | Visa-free | 30 days |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Visa required | ||
| Algeria | Visa required | — |
| Argentina | Visa required | — |
| Bangladesh | Visa required | — |
| Bolivia | Visa required | — |
| Brazil | Visa required | — |
| Canada | Visa required | — |
| Cape Verde | Visa required | — |
| Chile | Visa required | — |
| Colombia | Visa required | — |
| Costa Rica | Visa required | — |
| Cuba | Visa required | — |
| Czech Republic | Visa required | — |
| Dominican Republic | Visa required | — |
| Egypt | Visa required | — |
| El Salvador | Visa required | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa required | — |
| Gambia | Visa required | — |
| Ghana | Visa required | — |
| Guatemala | Visa required | — |
| Honduras | Visa required | — |
| India | Visa required | — |
| Indonesia | Visa required | — |
| Israel | Visa required | — |
| Jordan | Visa required | — |
| Kenya | Visa required | — |
| Mali | Visa required | — |
| Mexico | Visa required | — |
| Moldova | Visa required | — |
| Morocco | Visa required | — |
| Nicaragua | Visa required | — |
| Nigeria | Visa required | — |
| Pakistan | Visa required | — |
| Panama | Visa required | — |
| Paraguay | Visa required | — |
| Peru | Visa required | — |
| Philippines | Visa required | — |
| Russia | Visa required | — |
| Saudi Arabia | Visa required | — |
| Senegal | Visa required | — |
| South Africa | Visa required | — |
| Sri Lanka | Visa required | — |
| Sweden | Visa required | — |
| Tunisia | Visa required | — |
| Turkey | Visa required | — |
| Ukraine | Visa required | — |
| United Kingdom | Visa required | — |
| United States | e-Visa | — |
| Uruguay | Visa required | — |
| Venezuela | Visa required | — |
| Vietnam | Visa required | — |
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Hong Kong and Macao: what changes
Hong Kong and Macao run their own immigration control and their own list of exemptions, so a Chinese visa does not get you into either. Hong Kong's Immigration Department requires a visa or entry permit from anyone without right of abode there who wants to stay longer than their visa-free period allows. Going back to the mainland from either counts as a fresh entry into China and needs a Chinese visa again.
Source: immd.gov.hk, "Immigration Guidelines for Entry to the HKSAR"; gov.mo, servicio PS-1474 (comprobado 18/09/2026)
Do you need a different visa for Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou?
No. China sets the requirements, so entering through Beijing asks for the same as entering through Shanghai or Guangzhou. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
With one exception, explained above: the rules for Hong Kong and Macao are not the rules for the rest of China.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travelers to China
China is too big for a single trip; the classic circuit links three cities by high-speed train. Beijing concentrates the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the most common access to the Great Wall. Xian holds the terracotta army, beside the first imperial capital. Shanghai is the contemporary face: the Bund, Pudong and its skyscrapers. Beyond that, the karst landscapes of Guilin and the Li River, the pandas of Chengdu or Tibet are add-ons depending on time. China has more than fifty UNESCO World Heritage sites, among the most in the world alongside Italy. Ten days cover the Beijing-Xian-Shanghai triangle. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; summer is hot and humid, and the October national holiday fills everything.
Sources for this section: China's national tourism administration portals; UNESCO World Heritage List (whc.unesco.org); UK FCDO travel advice for China. Accessed 31 August 2026.
Things to see and do in China
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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Where can China passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.