Do I need a visa for China?
Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau operate separate immigration systems. A visa for mainland China does not admit you to Hong Kong or Macau, and entering either of those does not give you entry to the mainland.
Now pick the passport you travel on.
Entry rules by passport
Select your nationality for the full answer: stay length, passport validity, pre-registration and how to apply.
| Passport | What you need | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | Visa required | No stated limit |
| Germany | Visa-free | 30 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 30 days |
| United States | Visa requiredGet help for a United States passport | No stated limit |
| France | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Poland | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 30 days |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 30 days |
| India | Visa required | No stated limit |
| Türkiye | Visa required | No stated limit |
| Nigeria | Visa required | No stated limit |
| South Africa | Visa required | No stated limit |
| Philippines | Visa (apply online) | No stated limit |
| Pakistan | Visa (apply online) | No stated limit |
| Bangladesh | Visa (apply online) | No stated limit |
| Indonesia | Visa (apply online) | No stated limit |
| Egypt | Visa (apply online) | No stated limit |
| Vietnam | Visa (apply online) | No stated limit |
These links go to our partner Travel Visa Pro. trip1 earns a commission if you apply through one, at no extra cost to you. You can always apply directly with the government instead.
What to do next
The part most visa checkers leave out: what actually needs doing before you fly.
Confirm with the official source
Rules change without notice, and only the immigration authority of China can tell you where you stand. Search for its official site before you travel.
Check your passport
Passport validity required: valid for period of stay. Renew first if you are close, because this is the most common reason travellers are turned away.
Arrival Card required
Separate from any visa: China requires this registration before or on arrival. Do it even if you need no visa.
Good to know about China
Check which of the three you are actually entering. One trip that takes in the mainland and Hong Kong normally needs permission for both.
Common questions
Entry to China, answered from the same rules the table shows.
It depends on the passport you hold. Of the 20 most-checked passports listed above, 8 enter China without a visa, 12 have to apply for something before travelling. Find your nationality in the table for the exact rule, the stay it allows and what has to be applied for.
8 of the 20 most-checked passports listed above: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Poland, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Brazil. The rest have to apply in advance.
30 days on every visa-free rule in the table. The limit is per entry, and staying beyond it needs a different permission rather than an extension at the border.
Valid for period of stay. Renew before you travel if you are close to that, because it is one of the most common reasons travellers are refused boarding — by the airline, before they ever reach the border.
Not for any of the 20 most-checked passports listed above. Nationalities outside that list may still be offered one, so check the rule for the passport you hold.
Not for any of the 20 most-checked passports listed above. Nationalities outside that list may still have one available.
Yes. China requires Arrival Card, separately from any visa and regardless of whether you need one. Travellers who are told they need no visa miss this most often.
Once you are in China
Where trip1 travellers go, and what to read before you book.
Travelling somewhere else?
Check any passport against any destination
