China Visa Exemption - China's Visa-Free Policies in 2024
China, with its rich cultural heritage, breathtaking landscapes, and modern metropolises, has always been a popular travel destination for globetrotters. However, navigating the visa application process can sometimes be challenging and time-consuming. To promote tourism and foster international relationships, the Chinese government has implemented Visa-Free Travel Policies, allowing citizens from certain countries to visit China without the need for a visa.
Great News!!! On November 24, 2023, China expanded its 15-day visa-free travel policy to include five European countries—France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain—and Malaysia. This new policy, effective from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, allows holders of ordinary passports from these nations to enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit, for a duration not exceeding 15 days.
December 8, 2023 (UPDATE): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the Notice on Temporary Reduction of Fees for Applying for a Visa to China on December 8, 2023. According to this notice, from December 11, 2023, to December 31, 2024, China will reduce visa fees by 25 percent for all foreign travelers. For more details, please consult your local Chinese embassy or consulate.
In this guide, we will explore the latest updates and provide valuable insights into China's Visa-Free Travel Policies for the year 2023.
The China visa exemption policy mainly applies to 9 groups of people, including:
- 24/72/144-hour China Visa-Free Transit
- Countries with mutual visa exemption agreements with China
- 15-day up to 30-Days Visa-Free Entry for Citizens of Singapore, Spain and more
- Hainan 30-Day Visa-Free Access
- 15-Day Visa-Free Policy for Cruise Tour Groups to Shanghai
- 6-Day Visa Exemption for Tourists to Pearl River Delta
- 6-Day Visa Exemption for ASEAN Tour Groups Visiting Guilin
- Holders of APEC Business Travel Card
- Aliens' Residence Permit Holders
24/72/144 Hour China Visa-Free Transit
China offers a convenient and traveler-friendly visa-free transit policy for foreign citizens who are in transit to a third country. This policy allows eligible travelers from certain countries to enter and remain in certain areas of China for 24, 72, and 144-hour durations without the need to apply for a visa in advance. This provides an excellent opportunity for travelers to explore some of China's vibrant cities and experience its rich cultural heritage during their layovers.
144-hour Visa-Free Transit
Citizens of the 53 countries mentioned below, who hold a valid travel document and possess a confirmed flight ticket to a third country or region within 144 hours, are eligible to take advantage of the 144-hour (6 days) visa-free transit in specific areas of China. This visa-free transit is applicable to those who enter through one of 29 designated ports of entry in 20 mainland Chinese cities (Details of port cities), including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Beijing, Tianjin, Xi'an, Chengdu, Xiamen, Shijiazhuang, Dalian, Shenyang, and others. Moreover, travelers are only allowed to travel within a certain area as specified on the entry permit and must exit the country through designated ports as well.
The 53 countries are:
24 countries in the Europe Schengen area: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
15 other countries in Europe: Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, and Belarus.
Six countries in the Americas: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.
Two countries in Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.
Six countries in Asia: South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
72-hour Visa-Free Transit
Travelers from the 53 countries that are eligible for the 144-hour entry permit are also eligible for the 72-hour visa-free policy.
Travelers from the above-mentioned countries must possess a valid travel document and a confirmed flight ticket to a third country or region for onward travel within 72 hours. The 72-hour visa-free transit is valid for international airports in the following 23 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Guilin, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing etc.
Travelers should apply for the 72-hour visa-free transit at the Chinese border either by themselves or with the assistance of the responsible airline. An entry permission issued by the border control authorities is required for a smooth visa-free transit.
24-hour China Visa-Free Transit
Traveller (no limitation of applicants’ nationality) traveling to a third country or region through China by plane, ship, or train may stay up to 24 hours in China without leaving the restricted area of the port of entry. They may be exempted from obtaining visas. It is good for those travelers who want to take a day tour of that China city without any visa application. However, it's important to note that an application for a preliminary entry permit at the Chinese border is a requirement for this visa-free entry.
Countries with mutual visa exemption agreements with China
China has established mutual visa exemption agreements with more than 150 countries, enabling citizens of these nations to enter China without a visa under certain conditions. However, for the majority of countries, visa-free arrangements apply only to diplomatic or official passports. A few countries do enable visa-free travel to China for citizens holding ordinary passports. Citizens from these countries are allowed to travel to China without a visa for up to 30~90 days for the purposes of tourism, travel, business, and visiting family or friends.
The countries that allow visa-free travel to China for citizens (individual) holding ordinary passports are:
- Armenia
- The Bahamas
- Belarus
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- Grenada
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Qatar
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Suriname
- San Marino
- Tonga
- United Arab Emirates
Visa-free travel for tour groups from 6 countries
Some of the agreements on mutual visa exemption between China and certain countries also facilitate visa-free travel for tour groups. These countries include Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Moldova, and Turkmenistan.
The requirements for the tour groups may vary slightly depending on the specific agreements with each country. Generally, the tour groups are required to have a minimum of five people, and the duration of the trip can last up to 30 days. There are no restrictions on the destinations that the tour group can visit within China. However, it is essential that the tours are organized by certain designated agencies as specified in the agreements.
15-Day up to 30-Day Visa-free for Citizens of Singapore, Malaysia and more
Before the Covid pandemic, ordinary passport holders from Singapore, Brunei and Japan were allowed to enter China without visas for a duration of up to 15 days. This visa exemption was applicable for purposes such as tourism, business, visiting relatives and friends, or transiting to a third country. However this policy has been suspended during the Covid pandemic.
UPDATES (March 7, 2024): China is set to broaden its unilateral visa-free travel policy to include 6 additional European countries: Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg. This expansion will be in effect from March 14 to November 30, 2024. Ordinary passport holders from these countries will have the opportunity to enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, or transit, for a period of up to 15 days.
As of July 23rd, 2023, China has resumed the 15-day visa-free entry for citizens of Singapore and Brunei. However, the visa-free entry for citizens of Japan is still suspended, and there is no clarity on when it may be reinstated. Consequently, citizens from Japan are currently required to apply for a China tourist, business, or another type of visa to enter China.
UPDATE (On November 24, 2023) , China expanded its 15-day visa-free travel policy to include five European countries—France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. This new policy, effective from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, allows holders of ordinary passports from these nations to enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit, for a duration not exceeding 15 days.
UPDATE (January 29, 2024): China and Thailand have officially agreed to implement a visa-free entry policy for their citizens, allowing stays of up to 30 days. Starting from March 1, 2024, individuals holding ordinary passports and traveling for tourism, family visits, or business purposes will benefit from this new agreement.
UPDATE (February 9, 2024), China and Singapore have officially agreed to implement a visa-free entry policy for their citizens, allowing stays of up to 30 days. Starting from February 9, individuals holding ordinary passports and traveling for tourism, family visits, or business purposes will benefit from this new agreement.
Hainan 30-Day Visa-Free Access
Citizens of the following 59 countries holding ordinary passports can enjoy visa-free entry to Hainan Province through its ports that are open to foreigners. They are entitled to stay in the administrative regions of Hainan Province for 30 days, and their tour needs to be arranged through local travel agencies in Hainan. Eligible travelers have the freedom to explore the entire province of Hainan. They can travel directly to Hainan island from Hong Kong or any other place outside Mainland China by taking a direct flight. The 30-day duration of this visa-free access will begin from 00:00 on the day following the entry date. The countries eligible for this visa-free entry to Hainan Province are:
Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, DPRK, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Monaco, and Belarus.
UPDATE (February 18, 2024): On February 9, 2024, China's National Immigration Administration announced the expansion of the 30-day visa-free travel policy to include the province of Hainan, allowing more purposes of entry. The expanded entry purposes under the Hainan visa-free policy now cover business, visiting, family reunions, medical treatment, exhibitions, and sports competitions. However, purposes related to work and study are excluded from this arrangement.
15-Day Visa-Free Policy for Cruise Tour Groups to Shanghai
The Shanghai 15-day visa-free policy allows cruise tour groups from all over the world to visit Shanghai and other Chinese coastal provinces for a period of up to 15 days. To be eligible for this policy, tourist groups must enter Shanghai via a cruise ship and exit from China using the same cruise ship. Upon their arrival, the local Chinese travel agency receiving the tourists will take care of the necessary official paperwork.
The tour group must consist of at least two members. Eligible passengers are allowed to travel with the cruise ship to other coastal cities and provinces, including Beijing, Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan. The duration of the visa-free stay begins from the day following their arrival. The tourists are allowed to travel around the cities in which the cruise has berthed, as well as neighboring cities. This includes Beijing but otherwise does not include any cities or regions outside the above-mentioned provinces and regions.
International tour groups of two and above who arrive on a cruise ship at Shanghai Cruise Port can get 15 days of visa-free travel to Shanghai and other coastal provinces, regions, and municipalities in which the cruise ship berths. These are Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan.
6-Day Visa Exemption for Tourists to Pearl River Delta
Citizens from countries that have established diplomatic relations with China and are traveling as part of a tourist group organized by a registered travel agency in Hong Kong or Macao can enjoy visa-free travel to the nine mainland Chinese cities in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. These cities include Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, and Huizhou. The visa-free stay is allowed for a duration of up to 6 days. Additionally, this policy also extends to tour groups visiting Shantou in Guangdong Province, as long as their activities remain within the administrative area of Shantou.
To qualify for this visa-free policy, the tour group must depart from either Hong Kong or Macao.
6-Day Visa Exemption for ASEAN Tour Groups Visiting Guilin
Tour groups from ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei, and the Philippines, are eligible for a visa exemption when visiting Guilin. This visa-free policy allows them to stay in Guilin for a duration of 6 days. To qualify, the tour groups must enter and exit from Guilin Liangjiang Airport, and their tour activities are required to be arranged by local travel agencies in Guilin.
During the 6-day period, all members of the tour groups are required to remain within Guilin and cannot travel outside the city.
Holders of APEC Business Travel Card
Holders of a valid Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) can enter China multiple times within the card's validity period for business purposes for periods of up to 60 days at a time. The ABTC is valid for five years and functions as a five-year multi-entry visa.
Only citizens of the 21 APEC member economies are eligible for the ABTC. These economies include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam.
Please note that while Canada and the US offer ABTCs, they only provide fast-track immigration processing and do not offer reciprocal entry arrangements with China. ABTC holders from the US and Canada are not eligible to enter China directly without a visa, and vice versa.
Aliens' Residence Permit Holders
Holders of Aliens' Residence Permit are entitled to multiple entries into and exits from China within the period of the permit's validity without the need to apply for another visa. This permit is applicable to foreigners who enter China for study on an X1 visa, for work on a Z visa, or for resident foreign journalists.
Upon their entry into China, individuals falling under these categories must apply for the Aliens' Residence Permit at the local public security bureau within 30 days. Once issued, the Residence Permit allows them to freely travel in and out of China for multiple times during its validity period, making it convenient for them to carry out their study, work, or journalistic activities without the hassle of obtaining additional visas.