China
China spans 9.6 million square kilometres from the Gobi Desert to subtropical rainforest, from Himalayan plateaux to neon-lit megacities of thirty million people — a country so vast and varied that every province feels like a separate nation. Five thousand years of continuous civilisation have left a density of cultural heritage that few places on earth can match: the Great Wall threading across mountain ridges, the Forbidden City at the heart of Beijing, the Terracotta Army standing guard outside Xi'an, the karst peaks of Guilin reflected in the Li River, the sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie that inspired the landscapes of Avatar. Modern China adds a layer of hyperspeed urbanism — Shanghai's Pudong skyline, Shenzhen's tech campuses, Chengdu's panda sanctuaries and fiery Sichuan hotpot — while the Silk Road corridor through Gansu and Xinjiang, the rice terraces of Yunnan and the monasteries of Tibet offer some of the most rewarding overland travel on the continent.
Visa Requirements for China
China has significantly relaxed its visa regime in recent years. Citizens of dozens of countries — including most EU member states, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Canada and several South American countries — can now enter mainland China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits and transit; the policy is renewed periodically (currently extended through the end of 2026), so verify current eligibility before travel. Citizens of countries outside that list — most notably the US — can instead use the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit scheme at dozens of designated ports when continuing to a third country or region. For longer stays or purposes such as work, study or journalism, a visa must be obtained in advance through a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) or embassy. Hong Kong and Macau SARs operate entirely separate immigration systems from the mainland — different entry rules apply. Hold a passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date with at least two blank pages, since Chinese visas occupy a full page. Anyone staying somewhere other than a hotel — a private residence or homestay — is legally required to register with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours of arrival; hotels handle this automatically as part of check-in.
Visa types
Citizens of eligible countries may enter mainland China without a visa for tourism, business, family visits or transit. The list of eligible nationalities and conditions is updated periodically — always confirm current eligibility with a Chinese embassy or CVASC before travel.
Guides
The Great Wall is not one wall but a network of fortifications stretching over 21,000 kilometres — the restored sections near Beijing alone offer a range of experiences, from the cable-car-accessible Badaling to the uncrowded ridgeline hike at Jinshanling at sunrise. The Forbidden City reveals five centuries of imperial splendour across 980 buildings on 72 hectares. Outside Xi'an, the Terracotta Army — over 8,000 life-sized warriors unearthed in 1974 — remains one of the defining archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century. Guilin's karst peaks and the Li River cruise are the landscapes of classical Chinese ink painting brought to life. Chengdu combines giant panda research bases with one of the world's great street-food cultures (Sichuan hotpot, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles). Zhangjiajie's sandstone pillars rise through mist in formations that make Jurassic geology feel alien. Shanghai packs the colonial-era Bund, the futuristic Pudong skyline and a gallery scene rivalling any in Asia into a single river bend. The Silk Road through Gansu and Xinjiang — the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang, the Flaming Mountains near Turpan, the Sunday market at Kashgar — is an overland journey through deserts, oases and Central Asian culture. Yunnan's rice terraces, Tibet's Potala Palace, Hangzhou's West Lake — China rewards not just one trip but a lifetime of returns.
China travel guide →
The full guide — the imperial axis, your Great Wall section, the megacities, the painted landscapes, the Silk Road and the two-week route.
Money in China →
Yuan, Alipay and WeChat Pay — the practical money guide.
Eating in China →
Eight kitchens read as a map — why geography explains the flavour, from ma la fire to dim sum precision.
Getting around China →
High-speed rail, payment apps and the firewall — the three systems to set up before you land.
Health & safety in China →
Genuinely low street crime, the one scam pattern worth knowing, water and altitude, and the numbers to call.
Cities & planning
Plan your trip
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Regions
Hong Kong & Macao
Special Administrative Regions of China — separate entry rules: a China visa covers neither.
Embassies & missions
Europe · 14
Americas · 8
Oceania · 2
Africa · 1
- ArgentinaGuangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai · Beijing
- AustraliaChengdu · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +1
- AustriaChengdu · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai · Beijing
- CanadaChongqing · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +1
- ChileChengdu · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +1
- ColombiaGuangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai · Beijing
- FranceChengdu · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +3
- GermanyChengdu · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +2
- ItalyChongqing · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +1
- MexicoGuangzhou · Shanghai · Beijing
- NetherlandsBeijing
- New ZealandBeijing
- NigeriaBeijing
- PeruGuangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai · Beijing
- Saudi ArabiaGuangzhou · Beijing
- South KoreaBeijing
- SpainGuangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai · Beijing
- SwitzerlandChengdu · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +1
- United KingdomChongqing · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +2
- United StatesChengdu · Guangzhou · Hong Kong SAR · Shanghai +3
Frequently asked questions
Many nationalities — including most EU member states, the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Brazil — can now enter mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business or family visits; the policy is renewed periodically (currently extended through the end of 2026), so verify current eligibility before booking. US citizens aren't on the entry list, but can use the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit when continuing to a third country. Work, journalism and long-term study still require a visa obtained in advance.
No — Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions with entirely separate immigration systems, so entry there doesn't count as entry to the mainland, and continuing on to mainland China requires its own separate visa or visa-free eligibility.
Not reliably on its own — digital payments dominate daily life via WeChat Pay and Alipay, but foreign Visa and Mastercard holders can now link their cards directly to both apps before arrival, which covers nearly every payment situation. Carry some cash as backup since ATMs are uncommon in rural areas.
Planning a trip to China? Check what you need to enter and apply online in minutes.
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.