Visa & Air Travel

A foreign citizen who is transiting through China by air is exempted from a visa if he/she will stay only inside the airport (without entering the boder control) for no more than 24 hours and has a valid connecting ticket with confirmed seating on an international flight.

As of June 2015, citizens of 51 countries with valid international travel documents and air tickets for a connecting flight with confirmed date of flight and seat for a third country or region can apply for a 72-hour transit visa exemption at ports of entry in Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport，Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport， Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport，Shenyang Taoxian International Airport，Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport，Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport，Guilin Liangjiang Airport，Kunming Changshui International Airport，Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Harbin Taiping International Airport, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, and Tianjin Binhai International Airport. ( For the list of 51 countries, please refer to http://en.bcia.com.cn/server/notice/72visafree/72visafree_policy.shtml）

1. A foreign citizen holding an ordinary passport issued by any country with diplomatic relations with China is exempted from a visa if he or she is already in Hong Kong or Macao and joins a tourist group organized by a travel agency, which is registered in Hong Kong or Macao, for a visit to the Pearl River Delta region (including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing and Huizhou) and his or her stay is no more than 6 days.
2. A foreign citizen holding an ordinary passport issued by any of the following countries is exempted from a visa if he or she joins a tourist group (of 5 or more persons) organized by an international travel agency registered in Hainan with the approval of China National Tourism Administration to visit Hainan Province and his or her stay is no more than 15 days: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the U.K., Ukraine and the United States of America. Citizens of Germany, Republic of Korea and Russia may join an international tourist group (of 2 or more persons) and can stay up to 21 days.

A citizen of Singapore, Brunei or Japan with an ordinary passport is exempted from a visa if he or she visits China's mainland for tourism, business, or meeting with friends or relatives, and if he or she enters China through ports open to foreigners, and stays for no more than 15 days.

However, a visa is required for citizen of these three countries under any of the following circumstances:

1. An ordinary passport holder visits China for tourism, business, or meeting with friends or relatives, and stays for more than 15 days.
2. An ordinary passport holder visits China for the purpose of study, work, permanent residency, official visits or news coverage.
3. A Japanese citizen travels with a diplomatic or official passport.

The APEC Business Travel Card is a substitute of a multiple-entry visa valid for 3 years. A card holder who presents a valid passport whose image and biographic data exactly matches that on the APEC Business Travel Card can enter China multiple times during the validity of the card for a stay of no more than 2 months for each entry.

Holders of the People's Republic of China.

Foreigners issued by Public Security Bureau. Foreign citizens entering China for the purpose of study or employment or as resident foreign journalists must apply for a residence permit at local public security authorities within 30 days of entry into China. Permit holders may stay in China and enter or exit China multiple times without the need of a visa during the validity period of the permit.

Based on bilateral agreements signed or reached between China and foreign countries, foreign citizens of some countries who meet certain requirements may visit China without a visa. Please see the list of agreements on visa exemption signed between China and foreign countries for more information.

From the date of Sep. 1, 2013, citizens of the countries which have signed bilateral visa exemption agreements with China, who intend to study in China, post as resident journalists or visit China for family reunion for a period of more than 180 days, to work or reside in China permanently, are required to apply for relevant X1, J1, Q1, S1, Z or D visa accordingly before they enter China.