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China visa requirements

Current entry categories for 199 passport nationalities, paired with official evidence as it is reviewed.

Access data checked August 24, 20264 official sources collected
Citizenship1Visa-free78Visa on arrival1Visa required119
Passport directory

Access by passport

Open any status for its canonical passport–destination page, evidence timeline, official sources, and application route where available.

199 passports

Citizenship

1

Visa-free

78

Visa on arrival

1

Visa required

119
Policy history

Official evidence timeline

One group agreement or destination policy can support many passport relationships. Dates are recorded only when an official source establishes them.

  1. Current official routeVisa-free

    Current bilateral ordinary-passport visa exemptions

    China MFA's current mutual-agreement register expressly records ordinary-passport coverage for these foreign passports; the register is the current source for each agreement's entry-into-force date.

    • The current MFA register records these ordinary-passport agreement effective dates: AL 2023-03-18; AG 2024-05-11; AM 2020-01-19; AZ 2025-07-16; BS 2014-02-12; BB 2017-06-01; BY 2018-08-10; BA 2018-05-29; EC 2016-08-18; FJ 2015-03-14; GE 2024-05-28; GD 2015-06-10; KZ 2023-11-10; MY 2025-07-17.
    • The current MFA register records these remaining ordinary-passport agreement effective dates: MV 2022-05-20; MU 2013-10-31; QA 2018-12-21; WS 2025-04-02; SM 1985-07-22; RS 2017-01-15; SC 2013-06-26; SG 2024-02-09; SB 2024-12-28; SR 2014-05-06; TH 2024-03-01; TO 2016-08-19; AE 2018-01-16; UZ 2025-06-01.
    • The register says specified valid passports are permitted stays of less than 30 days; a longer stay requires residence formalities under local rules.
    • This ordinary-passport visitor normalization does not establish work, study, residence, transit-only, tour-group, port-visa, diplomatic, official, service, public-affairs, special-document, security, or individual-admissibility treatment.
    28 passport nationalities covered

    Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Qatar, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan

    Official sourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China: List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption Between the People's Republic of China and Foreign Countries
  2. Current official routeVisa-free

    Forty-eight unilateral ordinary-passport visa waivers through 2026

    The current NIA list and MFA FAQ establish a 30-day unilateral ordinary-passport waiver for these 48 nationalities, effective only through 31 December 2026.

    • For a valid ordinary passport only, and for business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange visits, or transit, up to 30 days calculated from the day after entry.
    • The FAQ says the waiver applies at sea, road and air ports open to foreign nationals unless law, regulation or a bilateral arrangement provides otherwise.
    • Work, study, news coverage and similar purposes require a visa in advance; border authorities still examine purpose and admissibility.
    • It does not establish residence, special-document, diplomatic/official, Hainan/regional, port-visa, or transit-only treatment.
    48 passport nationalities covered

    Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay

    Official sourcesNational Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China: List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption PoliciesMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
  3. Current official routeVisa-free

    Brunei ordinary passports: unilateral visa waiver without stated expiry

    China MFA's current FAQ places Brunei in the current unilateral 30-day ordinary-passport waiver and states no expiry date.

    • For a valid ordinary passport only, and for business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange visits, or transit, up to 30 days calculated from the day after entry.
    • The current FAQ states no expiry date; it does not make the waiver permanent by treaty or remove the authority to amend it.
    • Work, study, news coverage, residence, special documents, diplomatic/official travel, regional programmes, port visas, security and individual admissibility remain separate.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Brunei

    Official sourcesNational Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China: List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption PoliciesMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
  4. Current official routeVisa-free

    Russia ordinary passports: unilateral visa waiver through 2027

    China MFA's current FAQ places Russia in the current unilateral 30-day ordinary-passport waiver through 31 December 2027.

    • For a valid ordinary passport only, and for business, tourism, visits to relatives or friends, exchange visits, or transit, up to 30 days calculated from the day after entry.
    • The FAQ confirms the unilateral waiver applies to individuals as well as tour groups; this policy does not normalize the separate bilateral authorized-tour-group arrangement.
    • Work, study, news coverage, residence, special documents, diplomatic/official travel, regional programmes, port visas, security and individual admissibility remain separate.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Russian Federation

    Official sourcesNational Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China: List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption PoliciesMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
  5. Current official routeVisa required

    Other foreign ordinary passports: advance visa required baseline

    The Exit and Entry Administration Law requires foreigners to apply to visa authorities abroad unless a legal exception applies. The current unilateral and mutual official schedules establish the covered ordinary-passport exceptions above; this policy records the nationwide short-visitor baseline for all remaining foreign catalog passports except special PRC/HK/Macao/Taiwan cases retained as unresolved.

    • Apply to the Chinese visa-issuing authority abroad for the ordinary visa appropriate to the actual visitor purpose; authorities can require application information, an interview and, where required, a written invitation.
    • This is the nationwide ordinary-passport baseline only. It excludes residence-permit holders, 24-hour and State Council transit arrangements, regional/Hainan programmes, authorized tour groups, port visas, crew, diplomatic/official/service/public-affairs/special documents, and emergency or other narrow statutory routes.
    • A visa can be refused for statutory security, public-order, health, fraud, financial-guarantee, documentation and other listed grounds; entry remains subject to border inspection and individual admissibility.
    117 passport nationalities covered

    Czechia, Lithuania, United States, Israel, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Mexico, Vatican City, Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, St. Lucia, Ukraine, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Nicaragua, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Micronesia, Palau Islands, Moldova, Venezuela, Türkiye, South Africa, Belize, Timor-Leste, Guyana, Vanuatu, Nauru, Jamaica, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Botswana, Bolivia, Lesotho, Namibia, eSwatini, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ghana, The Gambia, Philippines, Uganda, Tunisia, Zambia, Cape Verde Islands, Benin, Mongolia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Kyrgyzstan, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Togo, Cuba, Gabon, Madagascar, Algeria, India, Mauritania, Niger, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Mali, Tajikistan, Comoro Islands, Guinea-Bissau, Chad, Angola, Liberia, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo (Rep.), Vietnam, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Egypt, Bhutan, Jordan, Haiti, Nigeria, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Djibouti, Laos, Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Iran, Sri Lanka, Eritrea, Palestinian Territory, Bangladesh, North Korea, Nepal, Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan

    Official sourcesNational Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China: Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of ChinaNational Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China: List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption PoliciesMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China: List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption Between the People's Republic of China and Foreign Countries