China’s visa policy in 2026 is a patchwork rather than a single rule. What follows is the structure, with the caveat that lists change: verify against the Chinese embassy site for your country the week you book.
List 1 — Unilateral 30-day visa-free entry
Around 50 countries whose ordinary passport holders may enter for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits or transit, with no onward ticket requirement. Broadly:
- Most of the Schengen area — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland.
- Non-Schengen Europe — United Kingdom, Ireland, Monaco, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Serbia, Georgia, Armenia.
- Asia-Pacific — Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Brunei.
- Americas — Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay.
List 2 — Mutual treaty exemption
About 25 countries have reciprocal agreements giving 30 days without a visa: Thailand, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and others. Functionally identical to List 1 for a tourist.
List 3 — 240-hour transit (57 nationalities)
Wider than List 1 and it includes the United States, Canada, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico and most of Latin America. Conditions: arrive at one of 65 approved ports, hold an onward ticket to a third country or region, and stay within the permitted regions. Ten days, starting the day after arrival.
List 4 — Regional schemes
| Scheme | Who | Stay | Constraint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hainan Island | 59 nationalities incl. US | 30 days | Must fly direct to Haikou or Sanya, stay on island |
| Greater Bay Area group tours | Tour groups via HK/Macau | Up to 6 days | Guangdong only, must be with a group |
| Cruise landing | Cruise passengers at listed ports | Up to 15 days | Port city and nearby, must depart by ship |
| ASEAN group tours (Guilin) | ASEAN nationals on package tours | 6 days | Guilin only, group required |
The check that saves an argument at check-in
Ask yourself one question: is my ticket a round trip to the same Chinese city? If yes, and your passport is not on List 1 or 2, you need a visa — the transit scheme cannot help you, because it requires an onward ticket to a different country.
The workaround is an open-jaw ticket: into Shanghai, out of Bangkok. That single change converts a visa application into a ten-day transit entry and usually costs less than the visa fee plus the appointment.