Visa policy of the People's Republic of China
Encyclopedia
The Government of the People's Republic of China allows citizens of specific countries/territories to travel to the Chinese Mainland for tourism or business for up to 15 days without having to obtain a visa, but most foreign travellers to China are required to hold a visa. Exceptions to this requirement exist in certain parts of the country.
China's visa policies are constantly changing, which has been the subject of both official comment and news reports. In fact, the Australian government warns its citizens: "The Chinese authorities have put in place more stringent requirements for visa issue.... Police authorities (Public Security Bureau) have tightened regulations and are stringently enforcing regulations for the issue and renewal of visas."
which states on the reverse that it is valid for travel to China can enter visa-free.
(only Hong Kong permanent residents who are non-Chinese nationals; Chinese nationals in Hong Kong should use their regular travel documents [e.g. Home Return Permit
])
.
provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked onward flight seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours.
and/or Macao
are able to visit the surrounding Pearl River Delta
visa-free as long as the following conditions are fulfilled :
.
of Macao
that exempt only a few countries' nationals. Residents of the "mainland" of China have had great difficulty in obtaining a visa to go to Macao (also spelled Macau), due to what is termed an informal policy. This may have been done to prevent money laundering, but by August 2010, the policy has hurt the Macau economy, especially its casino
s.
The Australian government warns that:
British nationals are not entitled to use visa-on-arrival facilities at any airports.
China's visa policies are constantly changing, which has been the subject of both official comment and news reports. In fact, the Australian government warns its citizens: "The Chinese authorities have put in place more stringent requirements for visa issue.... Police authorities (Public Security Bureau) have tightened regulations and are stringently enforcing regulations for the issue and renewal of visas."
Eligible nationalities for visa-free entry
Citizens holding passports issued by the following nations are not required to obtain a visa to travel to China on a trip as long as it lasts no more than the visa waiver limit as listed below.30 days or less
(only if in possession of an ordinary passport endorsed "For Public Affairs", as long as it has a sheet attached on the visa page showing in red capitals "AB" and an additional validity date)30 days or less
(in addition, holders of an identity certificate for suite stewards on international trains can enter visa-free)APEC Business Travel Card
Citizens of the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel CardAPEC Business Travel Card
The APEC Business Travel Card is a travel document issued to business travellers who are citizens of APEC participating economies. Valid for three years, the card eliminates the need for its holder to possess a visa when visiting other APEC participating economies as long as pre-clearance has been...
which states on the reverse that it is valid for travel to China can enter visa-free.
(only Hong Kong permanent residents who are non-Chinese nationals; Chinese nationals in Hong Kong should use their regular travel documents [e.g. Home Return Permit
Home Return Permit
A ‘Home Return Permit’ , also referred to as a ‘Home Visit Permit’ or ‘China Back Home Pass’ , is the colloquial name for the national identity document officially known as the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents issued to PRC citizens who are permanent residents of Hong Kong...
])
Visa-free transit within any international airport
Visas are not required of any foreign passport holders who:- hold air tickets to a final destination outside China and who have booked seats on international airlines flying directly through China
- stay in the transit city for less than 24 hours;
- leaving the airport transit area is allowed.
Region-specific visa exemptions
The Chinese government has implemented visa waiver schemes for foreign nationals travelling to particular areas of Mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
.
Shanghai
Holders of passports issued by the following countries do not need a visa if transiting through either Pudong Airport or Hongqiao Airport in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
provided they hold valid passports, visas for the onward countries, final destination tickets and have booked onward flight seats, and stay in Shanghai for less than 48 hours.
Pearl River Delta
All visitors to Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and/or Macao
Mação
Mação is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 400.0 km² and a total population of 7,763 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of eight parishes, and is located in the Santarém District....
are able to visit the surrounding Pearl River Delta
Pearl River Delta
The Pearl River Delta , Zhujiang Delta or Zhusanjiao in Guangdong province, People's Republic of China is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea...
visa-free as long as the following conditions are fulfilled :
- The visitor is a national of a country which has diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
- The visitor is visiting the Pearl River Delta as part of a tour group organised by a Hong Kong or Macao based travel agency
- The stay is six days or less
- The visitor only stays within the cities of GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, ShenzhenShenzhenShenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
, ZhuhaiZhuhaiZhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
, FoshanFoshanFoshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
, DongguanDongguanDongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to...
, ZhongshanZhongshanZhongshan , also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province in southern China. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen who was...
, JiangmenJiangmenJiangmen , is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong province in southern China with a population of about 4.48 million in 2010. The 3 urban districts are now part of Guangzhou - Shenzhen built up area.-Names:...
, ZhaoqingZhaoqingZhaoqing is a prefecture-level city of Guangdong province in southern China.-Geography:Zhaoqing is located 110 km northwest of Guangzhou, in the west Pearl River Delta. It lies on the north shores of the Xijiang River, which is flows from west to east, and opposite of Gaoyao...
, HuizhouHuizhouHuizhou , historically known as Waichow, is a city located in central Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China. Part of the Pearl River Delta, Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shaoguan to the north, Heyuan to the northeast, Shanwei to the east, Shenzhen...
and ShantouShantouShantou , historically known as Swatow or Suátao, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, with a total population of 5,391,028 as of 2010 and an administrative area of...
.
Hainan Province
Nationals from the following countries can visit Hainan Island visa-free as long as their visit lasts 15 days or less and they are visiting as part of a tour group organised by a National Tourism Administration of China-approved travel agency based in HainanHainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
.
Region-specific visa restrictions
There are special rules to obain a visa to the Special Administrative RegionSpecial administrative region
A special administrative region, or SAR may be:People's Republic of China* Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, self-governing country subdivision in Hong Kong and Macau...
of Macao
Mação
Mação is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 400.0 km² and a total population of 7,763 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of eight parishes, and is located in the Santarém District....
that exempt only a few countries' nationals. Residents of the "mainland" of China have had great difficulty in obtaining a visa to go to Macao (also spelled Macau), due to what is termed an informal policy. This may have been done to prevent money laundering, but by August 2010, the policy has hurt the Macau economy, especially its casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s.
The Australian government warns that:
Visa application procedures for visa nationals
In the majority of cases, visa nationals are required to apply for a Chinese visa in their home country at the Chinese foreign mission (embassy or consulate) or through an appointed visa agent prior to entry into China. However, in some scenarios, it is possible to arrange for a visa upon entry into China.Airports
Visa nationals are able to obtain a visa-on-arrival at the following airports as long as arrangements have been made prior to arrival into China and confirmation has been received from the Entry and Exit Division of the local Public Security Bureau that a visa will be issued on arrival.- Beijing Capital International AirportBeijing Capital International AirportBeijing Capital International Airport, is the main international airport serving Beijing, China. It is located northeast of Beijing's city center in an enclave of Chaoyang District that is surrounded by rural Shunyi District. The airport is owned and operated by the Beijing Capital...
- Chengdu Shuangliu International AirportChengdu Shuangliu International AirportChengdu Shuangliu International Airport is a major airport serving Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, China. It is located in the north of Shuangliu County, about southwest of downtown Chengdu....
- Chongqing Jiangbei International AirportChongqing Jiangbei International AirportChongqing Jiangbei International Airport is an airport located in the Yubei District of Chongqing, People's Republic of China offering a growing network of direct flights to China, South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe...
- Dalian Zhoushuizi International AirportDalian Zhoushuizi International AirportDalian Zhoushuizi International Airport is the airport serving the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province, China. It is located in Ganjingzi District, about northwest of the city center...
- Fuzhou Changle International AirportFuzhou Changle International AirportFuzhou Changle International Airport is an airport in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, China. The airport was inaugurated on June 23, 1997, after being approved to start constructing in 1992. The current handling capacity is approximately 6.5 million people annually. It is one of the...
- Guangzhou Baiyun International AirportGuangzhou Baiyun International AirportGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the main airport of Guangzhou, the capital of the province of Guangdong, People's Republic of China. Both airport codes were inherited from the previous Guangzhou airport, and the IATA code reflects Guangzhou's former romanization Canton...
- Guilin Liangjiang International AirportGuilin Liangjiang International AirportGuilin Liangjiang International Airport , is the airport serving the city of Guilin in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It is located in Liangjiang, about southwest of the city center....
- Haikou Meilan International AirportHaikou Meilan International AirportHaikou Meilan International Airport is the largest and newest airport on the island of Hainan in the People's Republic of China...
- Kunming Wujiaba International AirportKunming Wujiaba International Airport- History :The airport is among the oldest airports in China, with a history that can be traced back over 100 years to the early 1900s, when Wujiaba Airport was first built under the supervision of local warlord, General Tang Jiyao....
- Qingdao Liuting International AirportQingdao Liuting International AirportQingdao Liuting International Airport is located in the city of Qingdao, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China and serves as the main airport for the city. It is about 31 km away from the city of Qingdao...
- Sanya Phoenix International AirportSanya Phoenix International AirportSanya Phoenix International Airport is an airport in Sanya, Hainan, People’s Republic of China . It is located about northwest of the city center....
- Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
- Shanghai Pudong International AirportShanghai Pudong International AirportShanghai Pudong International Airport is the primary international airport serving Shanghai, China, and a major aviation hub in Asia. The other major airport in Shanghai, Hongqiao, mainly serves domestic flights...
- Shenzhen Bao'an International AirportShenzhen Bao'an International AirportShenzhen International Airport is located near Huangtian and Fuyong villages in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, the People's Republic of China. It is 32 km northwest of the city center. It is the hub for Shenzhen Airlines, and a focus city for China Southern Airlines. The airport also...
- Shekou ferry portShekouShekou is an area at the tip of Nantou Peninsula in Shenzhen, Guangdong, southern China, south of Nantou and facing Lau Fau Shan of Hong Kong across Deep Bay.It was formerly a customs station in Bao'an County and now belongs to Nanshan District of Shenzhen...
- Tianjin Binhai International AirportTianjin Binhai International AirportTianjin Binhai International Airport is an airport located east of Tianjin, in Dongli District. It is one of the major air cargo centers in the People's Republic of China....
- Weihai AirportWeihai AirportWeihai Airport is an airport in Weihai, Shandong, People's Republic of China.The airport is located in Dashuibo Town , part of the Wendeng City under the administration of Weihai, hence the airport's name.-Airlines and destinations:-See also:...
- Xi'an Xianyang International AirportXi'an Xianyang International Airport-Transportation:The airport is northwest of Xi'an city centre, and north of the city of Xianyang. Buses and taxis are available between the airport and Xi'an city centre.-Accidents and Incidents:...
- Xiamen Gaoqi International AirportXiamen Gaoqi International Airport-Cargo airlines:-See also:*List of airports in the People's Republic of China*China's busiest airports by passenger traffic-External links:*...
- Yantai Laishan International AirportYantai Laishan International AirportYantai Laishan International Airport is a dual-use military and civilian airport serving the city of Yantai in Shandong Province, China.The airport is about from Yantai and began operations in October 1984...
- Zhuhai International Airport
Exceptions
British nationals are not entitled to use visa-on-arrival facilities at any airports.