China’s unilateral visa exemption has widened to cover dozens of nationalities, for stays up to 30 days. It is also one of the easiest to misread.
We are not printing the country list, deliberately
The eligible list changes, and our two official sources did not agree when we checked them.
The National Immigration Administration publishes a list carrying the note “as of February 17, 2026”. The State Council’s own explainer refers to 43 countries. Those are both official and they do not reconcile cleanly, which tells you something more useful than either number: this list moves, and a copy of it on someone else’s website is the wrong place to check.
Read it on the official page linked below, on the day you are booking.
What follows is the part that has been stable.
Thirty days, counted from the day after you arrive
Stays under the policy are capped at 30 days.
The count starts at 00:00 on the day after entry, as continuous calendar days. Your arrival day is not day one, which quietly gives you slightly more room than people assume, and makes a 30 day stay a real 30 days rather than 29.
What it covers, and what it does not
Permitted purposes are business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchange visits, and transit.
It does not cover work, study, journalism or similar activities. Those need the appropriate visa, and arriving visa-free with the intention of doing them is not a shortcut.
The passport matters, not just the nationality
You need an ordinary passport valid for the whole of your intended stay.
Holders of travel documents, temporary documents or emergency documents cannot enter under the exemption, even where their nationality is on the list. This catches people replacing a lost passport abroad.
No paperwork in advance, but bring evidence
There is no advance declaration to a Chinese embassy or consulate for eligible travelers.
You should still carry supporting documents such as an invitation letter, flight tickets and hotel bookings. Entry remains at the discretion of the border officer, and having the evidence to hand is the difference between a question and a problem.
Eligible travelers may enter from any country by air, sea or road, except where the law specifies otherwise.