China Visa-Free Countries: The Full List (2026)

Which countries can enter China without a visa? The full 57-country list for 240-hour visa-free transit, plus how the 30-day, Hainan and bilateral schemes differ.

Nora Li· Transit visas, city trips and shopping

Last updated October 16, 2026

Verified against the sources linked at the foot of this page.

This reference was last reviewed on 2026-10-16. Visa-free lists change in waves, and countries are added or lapse several times a year. Always confirm the current list for your nationality with the National Immigration Administration (NIA) or the 12367 hotline before booking.

The short answer

“China visa-free” is not one list. It is several lists that overlap, and the one that applies to you depends on why you are entering China and how long you are staying:

Scheme	Countries	Stay	Onward ticket needed?
240-hour visa-free transit	57	10 days	Yes, to a third country or region
30-day visa-free entry	50	30 days	No
Hainan regional scheme	61	30 days	No (Hainan only)
Bilateral agreements	~29	Usually 30 days	No

The table below is the 240-hour visa-free transit list, the scheme most relevant to a layover. For a round trip or a longer stay, the 30-day entry list is usually the better fit, and it is a different list.

The 57 countries eligible for 240-hour visa-free transit

These are the nationalities covered by China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, grouped by region.

Europe (40)


Albania	Austria	Belarus	Belgium
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	North Macedonia	Norway
Poland	Portugal	Romania	Russia
Serbia	Slovakia	Slovenia	Spain
Sweden	Switzerland	Ukraine	United Kingdom

The Americas (6)


Argentina	Brazil	Canada
Chile	Mexico	United States

Oceania (2)


Australia	New Zealand

Asia (9)

Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

Ordinary passports only. These rules apply to holders of valid ordinary passports, not diplomatic or service passports.

The 30-day visa-free entry list is a different list

China’s unilateral visa-free entry policy lets citizens of 50 countries stay up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, or transit, with no onward-ticket requirement. It covers most of the EU, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and several Gulf and Latin American countries, and it is renewed in waves (most countries through 31 December 2026).

Two things matter here:

It is broader and simpler than transit. If your nationality is on this list, you can visit anywhere in mainland China and a round trip still qualifies. For most travelers it makes the 240-hour transit policy irrelevant.
The two lists differ. The United States, for example, is on the 57-country transit list but not on the 30-day list. Check your nationality against both.

Because the 30-day list is revised frequently, this page does not reproduce it country by country. The authoritative list is the NIA’s own, linked at the foot of this page.

Hainan and bilateral schemes

Beyond the national rules, two more routes can get you in without a visa:

Hainan, 30 days. Ordinary passport holders from 61 countries can enter Hainan Province visa-free for tourism, business, family visits, medical treatment, conferences, and sports events. Hainan’s list is broader than the national 30-day list, so some nationalities that do not qualify nationally still qualify for Hainan.
Bilateral agreements. China has mutual visa-exemption agreements with around 29 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the UAE, and Qatar. Where one exists it takes precedence over the general scheme and may be more generous.

How to check whether you need a visa

Find your nationality on the 57-country transit list above.
Check the 30-day entry list on the NIA site. If you are on it, you almost certainly do not need a visa.
Check for a bilateral agreement, which is often the most flexible route.
If your destination is Hainan, check that regional scheme separately.
Confirm with your airline before booking, because the check-in agent applies the rules at boarding.

If none of the schemes covers you, see Do you need a visa for China? for the visa types, timelines, and costs.

Common mistakes

Treating the lists as interchangeable. The transit list and the 30-day list overlap but are not identical.
Assuming a round trip qualifies for transit. It does not. You must continue to a third country or region.
Entering at the wrong port. The transit policy works only at the 65 designated ports.
Relying on a list you read months ago. Countries are added and lapse throughout the year.

Frequently asked questions

Which countries can visit China without a visa?

There is no single list. The 240-hour visa-free transit policy covers 57 countries, the 30-day unilateral visa-free entry policy covers 50 (and includes most of the EU, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand), Hainan’s regional scheme covers 61, and China also has bilateral agreements with around 29 countries. Check your nationality against all of them.

Is the United States on China’s visa-free list?

US passport holders are on the 57-country 240-hour visa-free transit list, but not on the current 30-day unilateral visa-free entry list. That means Americans generally qualify only when genuinely transiting to a third country or region, not for a round trip.

Do I need a visa if my country is on the transit list?

Not for transit. If your nationality is on the 57-country list and you are passing through China to a third country or region within 240 hours, you enter visa-free. If your trip starts and ends in China, the transit policy does not apply and you may need a visa.

Can citizens of visa-free countries travel anywhere in China?

Under the 240-hour transit policy, no. You must stay within the permitted areas of the participating provinces and exit through a designated port within 240 hours. Under the 30-day visa-free entry policy, you can travel anywhere in mainland China.

Are the visa-free lists permanent?

No. The unilateral 30-day scheme is temporary and renewed in waves, most countries through 31 December 2026, and country lists change several times a year. Always confirm the current list before booking non-refundable travel.

Sources & official links

Every factual claim on this page traces back to one of these documents. They are the authority, not us.