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The Brief of China’s Visa-Free Policies

Discover the scenery of China with our convenient visa-free entry policies! Whether you’re traveling for business, tourism, or transit, China welcomes you with open arms. Since the 17th of December 2024 to the 31st of March 2025, in total of 9.215 million** people (including 6.57 million accounts for 71.3% people by Visa-Free)** entered the country…

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Discover the scenery of China with our convenient visa-free entry policies! Whether you’re traveling for business, tourism, or transit, China welcomes you with open arms. Since the 17th of December 2024 to the 31st of March 2025, in total of 9.215 million** people (including 6.57 million accounts for 71.3% people by Visa-Free)** entered the country through various ports across China. Whether you have been to China or not before, read the following message to know how China’s Visa-Free Policies helps foreign visitors travel to China more convenient.

24-Hour/ 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy and 30-day Unilateral Visa-free Policy.

1.) 24-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

According to the news collected by** Chinese Visa Application Service Centre Sydney**,** **it announced ‘In line with global norms, China has implemented a 24-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals from all other countries around the world at all its accessible exit-entry ports. Foreign nationals holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats, who intend to transit via China by international flights, ships, or trains to third countries or regions, are exempt from visa applications, provided that their stay periods in China will not exceed 24 hours and that they will remain within the corresponding ports. Those who plan to leave the ports must apply for temporary entry permits at the exit-entry border inspection authorities of the corresponding ports.’

2.) 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

Latest announcement by National Immigration Administration, for 240-hour visa-free transit policy, citizens from 54 countries are eligible for applying:

– Holding a** valid international travel document** with a validity of at least 3 months.

– Holding interline passenger tickets or other documents with a specified date and seat to a third country/region within** 240 hours**.

– Meet the requirements for entering a third country/region.

Below are the 54 countries listed:

Europe (40 countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway.

America (6 countries): the United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.

Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand.

Asia (6 countries): Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.

3.) 30-day Unilateral Visa-free Policy

According to the latest announcement of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, foreign tourists holding ordinary passport from the following countries for the purpose of business, tourism, visits and transit could stay in China no more than 30 days:

Europe (32 countries): Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland

Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand

Asia (4 countries): Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea**

Note: From the 1st of June 2025, 5 new countries (Brazil**, Argentina,* Chile*, Peru **and Uruguay) are eligible for 30-day Visa-free policy.

Mutual Visa Exemption Agreements in China between Countries.

According to the list published by National Immigration Administration which is based on the information released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citizens from countries which has signed mutual visa exemption agreements with China could travel in China without visa. For more information, you may check on details listed below:

S/NCountryTypes of Documents for Mutual Visa ExemptionEffective DateDuration of Visa-Free Stay in ChinaNotes
1SlovakiaService (special) passports1956.06.01No limitation on the duration of stay*1
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
2AlbaniaDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports1956.08.25No limitation on the duration of stay*2
Passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2023.03.18The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.Amended
3Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaDiplomatic passports, service passports1956.10.01No limitation on the duration of stayInvalid
Ordinary/group passports for public affairs1965.01.01Invalid
Diplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs (passports (for official trip))2024.07.2630 days
4Bosnia and HerzegovinaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”1980.01.09——Invalid
Diplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2017.10.0430 days
Ordinary passports2018.05.29The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
5SerbiaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”1980.01.09No limitation on the duration of stay*3
Ordinary passports2017.01.1530 days
6RomaniaService passports2010.07.2030 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
7The MaldivesDiplomatic passports, service passports1984.11.273 monthsInvalid
Diplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports, travel documents of the People’s Republic of China, temporary travel documents and emergency passports (certificates of identity) of the Republic of Maldives2022.05.2030 days
8San MarinoValid passports1985.07.22Within 3 months
9ChileDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1986.05.071 month
10EcuadorDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1987.07.1130 days
Passports for public affairs (special passports)1988.12.2530 days
Ordinary passports2016.08.1830 days
11PakistanDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1987.08.1630 days
Passports for public affairs1988.04.30
12ColombiaDiplomatic passports1987.11.1430 days
Service (official) passports1991.11.14
13BoliviaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1987.11.15No limitation on the duration of stay
Passports for public affairs2008.01.18
14UruguayDiplomatic passports and service (official) passports held by the officials stationed at the embassy of another country1988.11.07——Invalid
Diplomatic passports1994.01.01——Invalid
Diplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2017.01.0790 days
15CubaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs1988.12.23No limitation on the duration of stayInvalid
Diplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2021.07.1660 days
16MongoliaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs1989.04.30No limitation on the duration of stay
17IranDiplomatic passports, service passports1989.07.121 month
18LaosDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports with valid official visas1989.11.06No limitation on the duration of stay
19BangladeshDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “government affairs” or “free of charge”1989.12.18No limitation on the duration of stay
20TürkiyeDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports, passports for public affairs1989.12.24No limitation on the duration of stay
21CyprusService passports1991.10.0230 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
22VietnamDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2020.10.1190 days
23HungaryService passports1992.05.2830 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
24PolandService passports, seamen’s books, crew member certificates1992.07.27No limitation on the duration of stay
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
25LithuaniaService passports, seamen’s books (on board)1992.09.1430 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
26MoldovaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”; group travel documents1993.01.0130 days
27TurkmenistanDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”1993.02.0130 days
Group travel documentsNo limitation on the duration of stay
28BelarusDiplomatic passports, service passports, group travel documents1993.03.01No limitation on the duration of stay*4
Ordinary passports2018.08.1030 days; no more than 90 days per year
29JordanDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports1993.03.1130 days
30TajikistanDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”1993.06.0130 days
31ArgentinaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1993.08.1430 days*8
32BeninDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs certificate”1993.11.0690 days
33KazakhstanDiplomatic passports, service passports1994.02.0130 days
Ordinary passports, passports for public affairs and travel documents of the People’s Republic of China, certificates of return to the Republic of Kazakhstan2023.11.1030 days; the maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
34GeorgiaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, group travel documents1994.02.0330 days
Ordinary passports2024.05.2830 days; the cumulative maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
35AzerbaijanDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs1994.02.1030 days
Group travel documents1994.05.01No limitation on the duration of stay
36SloveniaService passports1994.07.0190 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
37North MacedoniaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”1994.07.19No limitation on the duration of stayInvalid
Diplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2020.01.1690 days
38ArmeniaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports marked with “public affairs”1994.08.03No limitation on the duration of stay
Ordinary passports2020.01.19The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
39CroatiaService (official) passports1995.04.0990 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
40JamaicaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1995.06.0830 days
41SudanDiplomatic passports, service passports, special passports, official passports1995.10.2630 days
42MexicoDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1998.01.0190 days
43MyanmarDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports1998.03.0530 days
44GuyanaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs1998.08.1930 days
45RussiaGroup travel documents2000.12.0115 days
Diplomatic passports, service passports2014.04.2630 days
Seamen’s books (on board), travel documents of international train crew members and international flight crew membersNo limitation on the duration of stay
46UkraineDiplomatic passports, service passports, seamen’s books2002.03.3190 days
47KyrgyzstanDiplomatic passports, service passports2003.06.1430 days
48ThailandDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2003.10.1830 days
Passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2024.03.0130 days; the maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
49PeruDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports2004.05.1230 days
50BrazilDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2004.08.1030 days
51The PhilippinesDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports (only for temporary visitors)2005.02.2830 days
52BruneiDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2005.06.18No more than 14 days from the date of entryThe passport shall be valid for at least six months.
53TanzaniaDiplomatic passports, service passports2005.07.1130 days
54IndonesiaDiplomatic passports, service passports2005.11.14——
2010.11.1230 daysAmended
55Equatorial GuineaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2006.01.0130 days
Passports for public affairs, special service passports2017.08.06
56CambodiaDiplomatic passports, service passports2006.09.1430 days
57TunisiaDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports2006.09.2930 days
58NepalDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2006.10.1630 days
59Trinidad and TobagoDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2006.11.2330 days
60EgyptDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports2007.01.2730 days
61United KingdomDiplomatic passports, certain service (official) passports, passports for public affairs (ordinary passports)2007.10.25No limitation on the duration of stay*5
EU laissez-passers2016.05.01The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
62Costa RicaDiplomatic passports, service passports2008.01.1530 days*6
63MaltaService passports2008.03.0630 days
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
64GrenadaDiplomatic passports, official passports2010.01.1730 days
Valid passports2015.06.10
65OmanDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports2010.04.1630 days
66UzbekistanDiplomatic passports2010.07.0930 days
67South AfricaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2010.11.2730 days
2016.03.0130 daysAmended
68SamoaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2011.02.1830 daysInvalid
Diplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2025.04.0230 days; the cumulative maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
69SingaporeDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2011.04.1730 days
Ordinary passports2024.02.0930 days
70MalaysiaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2011.05.1830 daysOn December 31, 2020, the visa-free entry privileges for Chinese citizens holding passports for public affairs were revoked in Malaysia.
71United Arab EmiratesDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports, passports for public affairs2012.03.2130 days
2016.01.1130 daysAmended
Ordinary passports2018.01.1630 daysAmended
72BulgariaService passports2012.04.0430 days; no more than 90 days within any six-month period
Diplomatic passportsThe maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
EU laissez-passers2016.03.03
73TongaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2012.11.1030 days
Ordinary passports2016.08.19
74MontenegroDiplomatic passports, service passports2013.03.01No limitation on the duration of stay*3
Passports for public affairs2017.04.1530 days
75Sri LankaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2013.04.1830 days
76SeychellesValid passports2013.06.2630 days
77MauritiusValid passports2013.10.3130 days
2017.06.1460 daysAmended
78VenezuelaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2014.01.0830 days
79NigeriaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2014.02.0130 days
80The BahamasValid passports2014.02.1230 days
81MoroccoDiplomatic passports, service passports2014.03.0660 days
Passports for public affairs, special passports2016.06.0960 days
82DominicaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2014.03.2930 days
Passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2022.09.1930 days
83SenegalDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2014.05.0330 days
84SurinameDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2021.05.0130 days
85BarbadosDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2014.08.0230 days
Ordinary passports2017.06.0130 days
86Republic of the CongoDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2014.08.0730 days
87KenyaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2014.08.1730 days
88KuwaitDiplomatic passports, service (special) passports, passports for public affairs2014.10.1730 days
89ZimbabweDiplomatic passports, service passports2014.11.1260 days
90BurundiDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2014.11.2530 days
91DjiboutiDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2014.12.0430 days
92Republic of KoreaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2014.12.2530 days
93FijiValid passports2015.03.1430 days
94AngolaDiplomatic passports, service passports2015.04.1130 days
95EritreaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2015.04.1560 days
96TogoDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2015.05.0730 days
97MaliDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2015.05.0990 days
98Timor-LesteDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2015.06.2430 days
99Cape VerdeDiplomatic passports, service passports2015.07.1130 days
100AfghanistanDiplomatic passports2015.07.1630 days
101IrelandDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2015.09.2390 days*5
EU laissez-passers2016.05.01The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
102EthiopiaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2015.12.0730 days
103Cote d’IvoireDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2015.12.1930 days
104IsraelDiplomatic passports, service passports2016.01.1730 days
105SwitzerlandDiplomatic passports2016.01.29The visa-free stay period cannot exceed 90 days within any consecutive 180-day period.
106GabonDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2016.02.0530 days
107LiberiaDiplomatic passports2016.02.1030 days
108ComorosDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2016.02.2630 days
109AustriaDiplomatic passports (also for German nationals: temporary diplomatic passports of the Federal Republic of Germany), EU laissez-passers2016.03.03The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
110Belgium
111Czechia
112Denmark
113Estonia
114Finland
115France
116Germany
117Greece
118Italy
119Latvia
120Luxembourg
121The Netherlands
122Portugal
123Spain
124Sweden
125MozambiqueDiplomatic passports, service passports2016.05.1430 days
126LesothoDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports2016.08.2430 days
127IraqDiplomatic passports2016.11.0230 daysInvalid
Diplomatic passports, special passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2023.12.1930 days
128IcelandDiplomatic passports2017.02.18The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
129GhanaDiplomatic passports, service passports2017.03.2890 days
130MauritaniaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2017.05.1530 days
131CameroonDiplomatic passports, service passports2017.08.1230 days
132NorwayDiplomatic passports2017.08.24The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
133GuineaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2017.09.1630 days
134PanamaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs, consular passports2017.10.2830 days
135São Tomé and PríncipeDiplomatic passports, service (special service) passports2018.02.0330 days
136The GambiaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2018.06.1030 days
137MonacoDiplomatic passports2018.10.05The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
138BahrainDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs, special passports2018.10.2590 days
139Burkina FasoDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2018.11.1890 days
140NigerDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2018.12.1530 days
141QatarDiplomatic passports, service passports, special passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2018.12.2130 days
142BotswanaDiplomatic passports, service passports, official passports, passports for public affairs2018.12.2230 days
143RwandaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2018.12.2390 days
144Sierra LeoneDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2018.12.2430 days
145AlgeriaDiplomatic passports, service passports2019.03.13The maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
146South SudanDiplomatic passports, service passports, special passports2019.03.2830 days*7
147Papua New GuineaDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2019.05.0230 days
148ChadDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2019.11.1830 days
149VanuatuDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2020.04.1930 days
150Dominican RepublicDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2021.01.0830 days
151NicaraguaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2022.07.0730 days
152El SalvadorDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2022.10.2390 days
153Solomon IslandsDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2022.11.2430 days
Ordinary passports2024.12.2830 days; the cumulative maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.
154HondurasDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs2023.09.2530 days
155MadagascarDiplomatic passports, service passports, passports for public affairs of the People’s Republic of China2023.11.0490 days
156LebanonDiplomatic passports, special passports, service passports, passports for public affairs2023.12.2490 days
157PalestineDiplomatic passports2024.01.2130 days
158Antigua and BarbudaDiplomatic passports, service (official) passports, passports for public affairs, ordinary passports2024.05.1130 days; the cumulative maximum stay is limited to 90 days within every 180-day period.

Source from National Immigration Administration.