Ordinary passports

  Mainland China

  Mainland Travel Permit required

  Visa not required (90 days)

  Visa not required (60 days)

  Visa not required (30 days)

  Visa not required (15 days)

  Visa required

Holders of ordinary passports issued of the following countries may enter China without a visa as long as their visit does not last longer than the visa-free period listed below, unless if they are allowed to extend their stay.^[9]
While most of these countries have concluded mutual visa-free agreements with China, unilateral visa-free arrangements are also offered to several other countries.
Starting from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024, holders of ordinary passports from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia may enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives (or friends) and transit for no more than 15 days.^[10]

_{1 – 90 days within any 180-day period.
2 – 30 days during one trip, but no more than 90 days within any 1 calendar year.
3 - For holders of "E-series" or "PE-series" normal passports only.^{[Note 1]}
4 - Length of stay extendable by applying for a visa inside China at an Exit and Entry Administration Ministry of any Public Security Bureau/Department.
5 - Initial trial period between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2024.
6 - currently suspended.}

Future changes

China has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet ratified:

Country	Visa exemption agreement signed on	Duration of stay
Oman[40][41]	29 March 2021[42]	TBA
Singapore[43][44]	(not yet signed)	30 days[45]
Kyrgyzstan[46]	(not yet signed)	TBA
Namibia[47]	(not yet signed)	TBA
Thailand[48][49]	(will be signed at the end of February 2024) [50]	30 days[51]

• On 15 January 2024, China will grant   Switzerland unilateral visa-free treatment, official state media Xinhua reported.^[52]
• On 17 January 2024, China will grant  Ireland unilateral visa-free treatment, the Chinese prime minister said.^[53]

Non-ordinary passports

Passports for Public Affairs

Mainland China   Mainland Travel Permit   Visa not required   Visa not required for holders of passports endorsed "for public affairs"

Citizens from the following countries who have passports endorsed "for public affairs" may enter China without a visa:^[32]

_{1 - Visa-exempt in general.
2 - Visa exemption applies to both "Passport For Public Affairs" and "Passport For Official Trip". Visa exemption also applies to collective passports for public affairs.
3 - Visa exemption applies to both "Passport For Public Affairs" and any normal passport that contains an 'AB stamp', for a maximum stay of 90 days.^[9]}

Other types of non-ordinary passports

Visa policy of China for holders of various categories of official passports

Mainland China   Diplomatic, official, service or special passports         Diplomatic, service or special passports   Diplomatic, official or service passports

Diplomatic or service passports   Diplomatic or official passports   Diplomatic or special passports   Diplomatic passports

Under reciprocal agreements, holders of diplomatic, official, service, special passports or laissez-passers of the following countries may enter and remain in China for up to 30 days (unless otherwise noted):^[32]

_{D - diplomatic passports
O - official passports
S - service passports
Sp - special passports
LP - laissez-passers}

_{1 – 90 days within any 180-day period for EU countries (unless otherwise noted).
2 – 90 days within any 180-day period.
3 – 90 days
4 – 60 days
5 - only when accompanying a Minister of the Irish government on an official visit for official passport holders.
6 - only when containing a "Visa Exempted" label for official passport holders.}

Future changes

China has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet ratified:

Country	Visa exemption agreement signed on	Duration of stay
Micronesia[54]	14 December 2019	TBA

Eligible countries

_{1 - for British passport holders, only British citizens are eligible.
2 - Visa-exempt in general.}

Tour groups

Citizens of the following 5 countries may visit China without a visa for the following period if traveling in a tour group that is accompanied by a representative of a tour operator registered in both countries:^[9]

Merchant seamen

All merchant seamen who benefit from the visa exemption must travel on duty and hold the following documents:

• a Port Visa Notification;
• a Letter of Employment or Letter of Guarantee issued by a Chinese shipping company;
• a seaman book; and,
• onward tickets and all documents required for their next destination if they are arriving by air in order to board a ship, or arriving by ship and proceeding to the airport.

Merchant seamen from the aforementioned visa-free countries can enter China without a visa if they satisfy the conditions listed above.

Merchant Seamen from the following countries can also enter China without a visa if they satisfy the conditions listed above:^[9]

_{1 - For those arriving in China by ship only.}

Crew members

Citizens of the following countries may visit China without a visa if they are traveling as airline crew:^[9]

•  Luxembourg
•  United Arab Emirates - only when traveling on duty with Emirates Airlines.

Citizens of  Russia who have an identity certificate for suite stewards on international trains may enter without a visa.^[59]

In addition, a visa is not required for crew members of airlines that have an agreement with the Chinese government exempting crew members from visa requirements.

Cruise ship visitors

Non visa-exempt citizens traveling with tour groups on cruise ships may enter China without a visa for a maximum stay of 15 days since 1 October 2016 (duration of stay starts from the next day of arrival). To be eligible, they must:^[61]

• travel as a part of an approved tour group with a minimum of 2 people;
• enter via a cruise terminal in Shanghai.

Approved groups must travel with the cruise ship within the entire duration of their trip, and can only visit the following provincial-level municipalities, provinces and autonomous regions on the trip:

Visitors utilizing this policy will not have their passports stamped and do not need to complete arrival cards or departure cards.

Passengers who boarded the cruise without joining a tour group may apply to join an existing group provided the travel agency relays the information to the Chinese authorities and receives approval before the ship's arrival.
In addition, 24-hour and 144-hour TWOV policies apply to those who are not joining a tour group and are leaving China by air, train or sea in 24 or 144 hours depending on their nationality.

Visa-free for tour groups to Guilin

All ASEAN member states may visit Guilin without a visa for a maximum of 6 days if they travel with an approved tour group and enter China from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport.
They may not visit other cities within Guangxi or other parts of mainland China.^[62]

Visa-free for tour groups to Pearl River Delta

All visitors to Hong Kong or Macao are able to visit the surrounding Pearl River Delta without a visa as long as the following conditions are met:^[63]

• The visitor is a citizen of a country which has diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China
• The visitor is visiting the Pearl River Delta as part of a tour group organised by a travel agency based in Hong Kong or Macao
• The stay is for 6 days or less
• The visitor stays only within the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Shantou.

Special Economic Zone visa on arrival

Sample of a SEZ visa

Visitors from most countries may obtain an entry visa when traveling to and staying solely in the three special economic zones: Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Xiamen.^[64][65] Visitors can only stay within these cities and cannot proceed further into other parts of mainland China. Visas for Shenzhen are valid for five days, and visas for Xiamen and Zhuhai are valid for three days. The duration of stay starts from the next day of arrival.^[66] The visa can only be obtained only upon arrival at Luohu Port, Huanggang Port Control Point, Fuyong Ferry Terminal or Shekou Passenger Terminal for Shenzhen;^[67] Gongbei Port of Entry, Hengqin Port or Jiuzhou Port for Zhuhai;^[68] and Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport for Xiamen.^[69] Visa fees are charged on a reciprocal basis ranging from ¥168 for citizens of most countries to ¥956 for citizens of the United States.

Citizens of the following countries are ineligible for the SEZ visa for Shenzhen:^[70]

Visa on arrival for tour groups to Zhejiang

Visa on arrival processing area at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

Non-Chinese visitors traveling as a part of a tour group belonging to a travel agency in Zhejiang Province may obtain a visa on arrival at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport for a maximum stay of 1 month.^[9]

Dalian transit visa on arrival for merchant seamen

Merchant Seamen may obtain a 7-day visa on arrival at Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport for a fee if they satisfy the following requirements:^[9]

• They are citizens of a country which has diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China
• They have a ticket to a third country
• They are not holders of stateless or refugees documents, holders of SAR travel documents, or nationals of the following countries:

Visa-free visits to border areas

• Citizens of  Russia that are residents of Amur Oblast may visit Heihe without a visa for a day.^[71]
• Citizens of  Russia may visit Suifenhe without a visa for up to 15 days if traveling with at least one companion.^[72]
• Citizens of  Kazakhstan may visit Jeminay County (East Kazakhstan Region residents) and Tacheng in Xinjiang without a visa for 3 days.^[73][74]
• Citizens of    Nepal may visit Zhangmu-Kodari Border Market and surrounding area without a visa for a day.

Stapled visas for territories disputed with India

In 1981, the Chinese government started issuing visas stapled to a separate piece of paper for Indian government officials visiting from Arunachal Pradesh, as opposed to stamping the visa in the bearer's passport as is done otherwise. This was adopted as a compromise as the Chinese government considers most of Arunachal Pradesh to belong to China under the designation of "South Tibet", and had planned not to issue a visa to visiting officials on the basis that they were traveling from one part of China to another. From the late 2000s onward, the Chinese government again stopped issuing visas to officials from Arunachal Pradesh and adopted stapled visas for ordinary Indian citizens in Arunachal Pradesh (albeit on an inconsistent basis) as well as Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, the Indian government has not recognized the stapled visas as valid travel documents, leading to incidents over the years where governmental delegations have been halted or reduced in size to avoid issuance of the stapled visas and sports teams have been denied boarding by the Indian government.^[75][76]

24-hour transit

Under the 24-hour TWOV policy, visa is not required for travelers who:^[9][77][78]

• have a passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry;
• arrive by air, cruise ship or train (except for arriving at certain airports listed below);
• have a confirmed air, cruise ship or train tickets to a third-country final destination outside mainland China departing in 24 hours (standby tickets are not allowed); and,
• depart mainland China on a flight, cruise ship or train within 24 hours after arrival.

The 24-hour transit rule allows multiple stops within mainland China for most airports, as long as the traveler has a flight, cruise or train segment leaving mainland China in 24 hours, so it is possible to enter through a port of entry in China, take multiple segments of domestic flights within China, and depart from a different port of entry in less than 24 hours. Multi-stop transit is not allowed in some airports listed below.^[77]

Since January 2018, passengers in transit, as well as those who must leave the sterile transit area of the port of entry for any reason, must hold a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond the date of entry. In addition, under directives issued by the Ministry of Public Security, entry to China, as well as multi-stop transit, will be refused to the following categories of persons:^[77]

• Those whose travel documents are valid for less than 3 months at the time of entry;
• Those who have Chinese visa refusal stamps in their passports;
• Those who have violated Chinese immigration laws in the past 5 years (including illegal employment, illegal entry or exit, illegal residence, as well as violations of the conditions of visa-free transit);
• Those who have failed to register with the local Public Security Bureaus within the first 24 hours of entry anytime during the last 2 years;
• Those who are otherwise inadmissible to China under corresponding Chinese laws and regulations.

Like the TWOV rules of other countries, travelers must be in transit to a different country other than the country of departure, hence passengers who travel between the U.S. territories and contiguous United States, Alaska or Hawaii are ineligible for TWOV, unless one of their flights has a stop in another country or territory.^[9] The only exceptions to the rule are Hong Kong and Macau, which are considered as separate countries in this context.

Distinct from the transit rules of other countries, all travelers in transit may be required to go through immigration and customs even if they do not intend to leave the sterile transit area, except for passengers arriving and departing from Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Shenzhen Baoan International Airport where they can proceed directly to the sterile transit area without immigration checks.^[9]

According to the release of the National Immigration Administration in January 2024, foreigners can transit directly for 24 hours without inspection procedures at key hub airports. The 24-hour direct transit passenger exemption from border inspection procedures is implemented for foreigners at nine international airports, including Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Hangzhou Xiaoshan, Xiamen Gaoqi, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Chengdu Tianfu, and Xi'an Xianyang. For international travelers with connecting flights within 24 hours, holding tickets to a third country or region and transiting through any of the above mentioned airports, they are exempt from border inspection procedures and can transit directly without a visa.^[79]

Unlike the 72/144-hour TWOV, almost all nationalities are eligible for the 24-hour TWOV except those listed below. Some individual airports, however, impose their own restrictions on certain nationalities.

72-hour stay / 144-hour stay

External image
Map of eligible ports of entry

Holders of passports issued by the following 53 countries do not require a visa for a 72-hour or a 144-hour stay if they are transiting through the following ports of entry, provided that they:^[80][81]

• enter through a port of entry listed below;
• have passports valid for at least 3 months from the date of intended arrival and visas for the destination countries (if required); and
• have ticket receipts (with confirmed seats, if applicable) departing in 72 or 144 hours, which shows that their first destination (including stopovers of any kind) outside China is located in a third country. Hong Kong and Macao are considered as third territories for transit purposes.

In order to qualify for the 72 or 144-hour TWOV, the traveler's inbound and outbound flights must directly arrive at and depart from one of the acceptable ports of entry from or to a third territory (including one of the two SARs). Both flights must have no stopovers of any kind within mainland China prior to arrival or after departure at the port of entry, and the outbound flight's first stop or destination must be in a different country than the inbound flight's. Travels between U.S. territories and the contiguous U.S. are also ineligible for 72 or 144-hour TWOV, unless one of their flights has a stopover in a third country or a SAR.^[9]

A passenger who completed the inspection process will be given a temporary entry permit, which may be in the form of a stamp or a sticker, with the approved area of stay as well as date of entry and departure.^[82] The 72 or 144-hour duration of stay starts from 12:01 a.m. on the day following the date of arrival for most ports of entry. For ports of entry marked with ^* below, however, the duration of stay starts on the day of arrival.^[9]

Under the directives issued by the Ministry of Public Security, persons belonging to any of the following categories will not be able to use the visa-free transit and will be removed from mainland China after arrival:^[7]

• Those whose travel documents are valid for less than 3 months at the time of entry;
• Those who have Chinese visa refusal stamps in their passports;
• Those who have violated Chinese immigration laws in the past 5 years (including illegal employment, illegal entry or exit, illegal residence, as well as violations of the conditions of visa-free transit);
• Those who have failed to register with the local Public Security Bureaus within the first 24 hours of entry anytime during the last 2 years;
• Those who are otherwise inadmissible to China under corresponding Chinese laws and regulations.

Also, ship's crew members, as well as their accompanying family members, are not eligible for 72 or 144-hour transit. They must hold appropriate visas when entering China.^[7]

Travelers utilizing the 72-hour transit scheme are only authorized to visit certain municipalities or provinces listed below, cannot leave the municipalities or provinces and must depart from the same port of entry.^[83][84] In contrast, travelers utilizing the 144-hour transit can enter and depart from any of the below-listed ports of entry as long as the ports are within the same region authorized to stay, although they are also not allowed to travel outside the approved regions.^[7]

Since 30 January 2016, any traveler who enters through ports of entry within Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province can stay within these areas for up to 144 hours.^[80] A similar policy was reported to be implemented throughout Guangdong Province in late 2016,^[85] and has been implemented effective May 2019.^[86] A similar scheme was jointly announced by the cities of Beijing and Tianjin, as well as Hebei Province, which entered into force on 28 December 2017.^[7][87] The 144-hour policy was expanded to the cities of Shenyang and Dalian in Liaoning Province on 1 January 2018.^[7] On 1 January 2019, the 144-hour policy will be expanded to the cities of Xiamen, Qingdao, Wuhan, Chengdu and Kunming.^[88]

This scheme also applies for holders of valid single or double-entry Chinese visas, who will normally be assessed by the immigration officers first to check whether their itineraries fit the rules listed above. If their travel is deemed to comply with the 72/144-hour TWOV rule and they confirm that they do not intend to leave the approved municipalities, they will be granted the 72/144-hour temporary entry permit instead and their Chinese visas will not be utilized, unless the traveler specifically requests to use the visa for entry.^[89]

Abusing the facility in any way, including cancelling the original outbound ticket and purchasing another to return directly to the inbound country, can cause the traveler to be considered as an illegal resident who will then be subject to the 5-year ban from using the facility.^[7][80]

Visa on arrival if unable to obtain a visa in time

Effective January 11, 2024, any foreigner seeking to visit China but is unable to obtain a visa due to time constraints, may arrive in China and apply for a port visa upon arrival, if the travel is for one of the following purposes:

• non-diplomatic, official business activities, visits and exchanges;
• investment and entrepreneurship;
• private affairs;
• visiting relatives.

The visitor must have an invitation letter, and other accompanying documents.^[108]

This was notably an expansion of the previous visa on arrival for emergency purposes policy. As of the recent update, more categories of visit, including private affairs and seeing relatives, now qualify for visa on arrival if unable to obtain a visa in time, and no government pre-approval is required. The policy entered into force on 11 January, but it is still unclear how this policy will be interpreted in practice as the government has not specified the criteria.

Visa on arrival for emergency travel

Visitors who would normally require a visa are able to obtain a visa on arrival at the following airports if they satisfy the following requirements:^[9][109]

• have genuine emergencies which prevent them from applying for a visa in advance;
• hold an invitation letter issued by a government-approved sponsor or Chinese authorities;
• have confirmation from immigration authorities that the visa will be issued on arrival; and,
• have a government-approved sponsor to meet them at the airport.

Visas can be issued at the following airports:^[9]

For a maximum stay of 1 month

• Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
• Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
• Fuzhou Changle International Airport
• Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
• Shanghai Pudong International Airport
• Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport

A return ticket is required in addition to all the aforementioned documents if the passenger is arriving at one of the ports of entry listed above.

For a maximum stay of 3 months

• Beijing Capital International Airport (extendable to 6 months)

No additional restrictions on stay

Citizens of the following countries are only eligible for visa on arrival service at Beijing (Capital and Daxing), Shanghai (Pudong and Hongqiao), and Chengdu (Tianfu and Shuangliu):

_{1 - Travellers may enter without visa under a temporary measure to bypass this restriction.}

Citizens of the following countries are not eligible for visa on arrival service at Fuzhou or Xiamen:

Holders of passports issued by  United Kingdom (except British Nationals (Overseas) passports) are required to hold an invitation issued by the Chinese authorities unless they are arriving at Beijing, Shanghai or Chengdu.

Holders of the following documents are not eligible for this service:

• British National (Overseas) passport
• Hong Kong SAR passport
• Macau SAR passport
• Taiwan passport
• Refugee or stateless person travel document

Overview

Country	Residency	Travel with...	Validity	Number of entries	Duration of stay
People's Republic of China	Hong Kong  Macao	Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Home Return Permit)[9]	10 years (for adults)	Multiple	Unlimited stay
			5 years (for minors under 18)
		Exit and Entry Permit	3 months	Single	3 months
Republic of China	Taiwan	Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents (Taiwan Compatriot Permit)[9]	5 years	Multiple	Up to 5 years
			3 months	Single	3 months
	Overseas(Including Nationals without household registration and Nationals with ID number but live abroad)	Chinese Travel Document	2 years (maximum)	Multiple	Up to 2 years

Chinese citizens of Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs)

Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR are constituents of China. Under the One Country, Two Systems arrangement, both SARs maintain their own immigration policies, which are vastly different from those of mainland China, and individual border controls, which separate the territories from the mainland. The Chinese government, however, does not consider Chinese citizens with resident status of Hong Kong and Macao traveling to China as international travelers, and hence the SAR passports (or ethnic Chinese holding British National (Overseas) passports) cannot be used to enter China, regardless of whether they are arriving from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan or from overseas.^[9]

Therefore, in order to enter mainland China, all permanent residents and some non-permanent residents of Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR with Chinese nationality are required to apply for a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (commonly called a "Home Return Permit"), a travel document which also serves as the de facto ID card in mainland China. The permit is valid for 5 years for individuals under 18, or 10 years for those over 18. All first-time applicants must submit their applications to the China Travel Service (CTS) branch in Hong Kong or Macao while subsequent renewals of the permit can be done in either mainland China or the two SARs.^[111] It is not possible to apply or renew the permit outside the PRC. Holders of the permit may enter mainland China regardless of purpose of entry and may remain in mainland China indefinitely, although their social benefits are restricted unlike Chinese citizens with residency in mainland China. Home Return Permit holders also need to obtain an employment authorization from the municipal governments in order to work legally in mainland China.^[112]

Those who need to travel to mainland China urgently but do not have a valid Home Return Permit may apply for a Chinese Exit and Entry Permit, also only through the CTS, in Hong Kong or Macao or at the ports of Luohu and Huanggang.^[113] The Exit and Entry Permit is valid for three months and only good for a single trip to mainland China.^[114] Unlike ROC citizens, there is no permit on arrival service at other ports of entry for SAR passport holders, and those seeking to enter mainland China who arrived at a port of entry without acceptable documentations for entering will be denied entry and removed from mainland China.

Taiwanese citizens

The PRC does not accept ROC passports for entry and transit through mainland China, and ROC citizens with right of abode in Taiwan ("right of abode" is defined as the eligibility of holding a Taiwanese National ID Card) are required to apply for a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, commonly known as "Taiwan Compatriot Permit", before visiting mainland China.

The 5-year permit, which also serves as the de facto ID card in mainland China, may be applied from travel agencies in Taiwan and CTS in Hong Kong or Macao. Holders of the permit are allowed to enter mainland China for any purpose and remain in mainland China until the expiration date of the permit (up to 5 years). Those who have settled in mainland China, however, may elect to renew their permits in mainland China, and they can continue to reside in mainland China provided that their permits do not expire. A 30-day stay for each visit to Hong Kong is also permitted with the strength of the permit. Like Home Return Permit holders, holders of Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents also require to obtain a separate employment authorization before working in mainland China. They may, however, enjoy social benefits in certain municipalities like Shanghai once they have legally settled in mainland China, some of which are only offered to local residents.^[115][116]

For those who have never held a 5-year permit or whose permit has expired, single-entry Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents may be applied on arrival at some airports. Those who have entered China with single-entry Taiwan Compatriot Permits can apply for a long-term permit at the local EEA office.^[117]

Applications outside the Greater China Region

As these two permits may only be applied and renewed from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan, residents of Hong Kong and Macao who are Chinese citizens, as well as all ROC citizens (including those without right of abode in Taiwan) may apply for a passport-like Chinese Travel Document through the Chinese foreign missions if their permits are expired or if they are residing outside the Greater China region and have never applied for the permits. The travel document is valid for up to 2 years. Those who also have multiple citizenship with other countries, however, are not eligible to apply for the travel document, and they must use their non-SAR or non-ROC passports (along with appropriate visas) to travel to mainland China, or they may apply for Home Return Permits or Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents if they are physically in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan and they are eligible to do so.

Visa for Hong Kong and Macao residents who are not Chinese citizens

Non-visa-exempt citizens who are residents of Hong Kong or Macao require a visa to visit the mainland.

All holders of Hong Kong Identity Cards are eligible to apply for a 6 or 12-month visa with multiple entries provided that they have applied for and received at least one Chinese visa in the past, are resident of Hong Kong for more than 7 months, and are not employed as domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong permanent residents are eligible for a 3-year visa if they have received at least one 6 or 12-month multiple-entry visa in the past.^[119]

Domestic helpers in Hong Kong can apply for a single or double-entry L visa valid for one or two stays of 30 days. Multiple-entry L visas valid for 6 months with 15-day stays are available to those who have received at least one Chinese visa. All visa applicants who are domestic helpers require a written letter from the employer stating that the employer will travel together with the visa applicant to the mainland.^[119]

Holders of Macau Resident Identity Card are automatically eligible for multiple entry visas valid either for 6 months (for non-permanent residents) or 12 months (for permanent residents only).^[120]

Permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macao with multiple entry visas may apply for a separate sheet of paper at border checkpoints in Shenzhen and Zhuhai for Chinese entry and exit stamps.^[121]

These visa facilitation decisions are unilateral and do not replace the visa facilitation agreements signed with other countries, which may offer visas with longer validity or lesser fees based solely on their countries of nationality.

Visa application procedures

Type L 60-day visa affixed to a visa page in a U.S. passport (issued in Los Angeles)

Citizens who are not from visa-exempted countries are required to apply for a Chinese visa prior to entry into China. When applying for a visa, the applicant can choose to apply either through a travel agency or directly to the Chinese diplomatic missions.

In the latter case, the local diplomatic mission may outsource the handling of applications to a Chinese Visa Application Service Center (Visa Center), or a Chinese Visa Application Service Facility (CVASF). The Visa Center is "a commercial service organization registered in accordance with local laws and regulations and recognized by a Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General to handle the daily routine work of processing ordinary visa applications".^[150] The CVASF is similar organization but is run exclusively by VFS Global.^[151] Visa applicants residing in countries that host Visa Centers or CVASFs are required to submit their applications to these organizations instead of the Chinese embassies or consulates. Applicants are also required to pay service fees when applying through the Visa Centers or CVASFs on top of the visa application fees.

The most recent visa application form, form V.2013, is in use since 1 September 2013. The form can be retrieved through the website of any Chinese diplomatic mission, Visa Center or CVASF. Only forms filled out with a computer are accepted, and older versions, as well as handwritten application forms, are no longer acceptable. Visa applicants also need to physically sign the declaration box of the form.^[152] Since May 2018, fingerprints of all 10 fingers of the hands, and in some cases voiceprints, are collected as part of the application process.^[153]

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all visas issued before 28 March 2020 became invalid except C visa and resident permit marked work, personal matters and reunion. As 15 March 2023, unexpired visas issued before 28 March 2020 were re-instated as valid.

As of 2021, Visa Centers are located in the following countries and territories:^[154]

In addition, CVASFs are available in the following countries:^[155]

In countries without Visa Centers or CVASFs, visa application requires submitting the passport and required documents directly to the embassy or consulate.

Citizens of the following countries must hold a visa issued in their home country. If visa is issued in a third country, a residence visa or working permit from that country is also required.^[9]

Letter of invitation

The Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, which went into effect on 1 September 2013, mandates some basic documentation for securing a Chinese visa.^[156] The most notable change is the requirement of a letter of invitation (LOI) when applying for most types of visa, which can only be issued by a resident of mainland China or a company based in mainland China. The only exceptions to this rule are for type G (transit) and L (tourism) applicants, who can either obtain a LOI, or produce their paid round-trip tickets plus the hotel reservations for the duration of their stay in mainland China.^[157]

Former and current nationals of the People's Republic of China and their descendants

Former nationals of China who have Mainland residency and who have lost their Chinese nationality are also required to produce their Chinese passports for cancellation when applying for their first Chinese visa. The cancelled passports will be returned to the applicants along with the new Chinese visa, demonstrating their loss of Chinese nationality.^[157] The requirement, however, does not apply to Hong Kong and Macau permanent residents as their Chinese nationality is determined by their respective governments.^[158]

In some cases, a person who has or may have Chinese nationality may encounter difficulties to obtain a Chinese visa unless he or she has renounced Chinese nationality with the appropriate authorities. Numerous reports arose in June 2016 that some Canadian citizens of Chinese descent who were either born in Hong Kong or born in Canada to Hong Kong permanent resident parents of Chinese descent were refused Chinese visas. Instead, the Visa Centers directed them to the Chinese consulate who then instructed them to apply for Chinese Travel Documents on the ground that they still have Chinese nationality. The Chinese consulate in Toronto clarified that the criteria of issuing Chinese visas to "Hong Kong residents" has not been changed. Meanwhile, an official of the Vancouver consulate acknowledged the policy and said it has been in force since 1996.^[159]

Types of Chinese visas

There are four main types of Chinese visa: diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service visa and ordinary visa. Ordinary visas are further divided into 12 sub-types or 16 categories.^[160] The sub-type codes of ordinary visas derive from the first letter of the names in Pinyin.^[157][161]

Validity, number of entries and duration of each stay of Chinese visas

• The "Enter Before" date is the expiration date of the visa. The visa can be used for entry into China from the date of issue until the "Enter Before" date indicated on the visa. If a visa has unused entries, the bearer can enter China before 12:00 a.m. Beijing Time on the expiration date.^[160]
• "Entries" refers to the number of times permitted to enter China during the validity of the visa. A visa becomes invalid if there are no entries left, or if there are entries left but the visa has expired. If a visa becomes invalid, its bearer must apply for a new visa before entering China. Traveling with an invalid visa will result in refusal of entry.^[160]
• "Duration of Each Stay" refers to the maximum number of days the visa bearer is permitted to remain in China for each visit. The duration of stay is calculated from (and includes) the date of entry into China.^[160]

Holders of D, Q1, J1, S1, X1 and Z visas must apply for a residence permit at the local PSB within 30 days of entry into China, unless the "Duration of Each Stay" on the visa is marked as 30 days. Members of foreign diplomatic or consular missions in China must also apply for a residence permit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or local Foreign Affairs Offices (FSOs) within 30 days of entry into China.^[160]

Penalty for illegal stay

A non-Chinese or Taiwanese national whose period of stay in China exceeds the duration specified in his or her visa, stay permit or residence permit without applying for an extension, or who is found to be outside the area of approved stay, is said to be an illegal resident and is subject to fines and other penalties for violation of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners.^[1] If a non-Chinese national needs to stay in China longer than the duration of stay allowed on the visa, he or she is required to submit an extension to the EEA of the municipality before his or her duration of stay expires. Approval of an extension of stay may not be granted, in which case the traveler must depart China immediately. Chinese diplomatic missions are not authorized to extend a visa.^[160]

Illegal residents who need to depart China after they have overstayed their visas may be given either a warning, a fine of CNY 500 per day of illegal residence in China, up to a maximum of CNY 10,000, or administrative detention between five and fifteen days, depending on the severity of the situation.^[163]

ROC nationals with household registration in Taiwan are applied a separate ordinance known as Measures for the Control of Chinese Citizens Traveling to or from the Region of Taiwan. The term of "illegal resident" is also used, however a ROC national is only considered as an illegal resident when his or her Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents expires and he or she have not applied for renewal before the document's expiration date. The penalty for illegal residence is a warning and CNY 100 per day of illegal stay.^[164]

Tibet Autonomous Region

Tibet Travel Permit for foreigners

Non-Chinese passport holders entering Tibet must obtain a Tibet Travel Permit (TTP) prior to departure, issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau.^[165] Although any travel between Tibet and other parts of mainland China is considered domestic travel with no immigration checks, the TTP will be checked for all non-Chinese passport holders when going on board any buses, trains or airlines that are bounded for the TAR.

The only way to obtain a TTP is to arrange a tour operated by a Tibet-based travel agent which at least includes hotels and transportation. Visitors are also not permitted to travel by public buses across Tibet and are only allowed to travel by private transportation as organised in the tour. Moreover, if entering Tibet from Nepal, one must also join a group tour and be only allowed on a group visa. The TTP has to be handed in to the tour guide upon arrival at the airport or train station, and the tour guide will keep the permit until the traveler leaves the TAR.^[166] The processing time of a TTP is at least 15 days.^[167]

Moreover, the TTP only covers travel to Lhasa and Nagqu, and visitors who wish to visit other areas in Tibet must also apply for an Alien's Travel Permit (ATP) issued by the Foreign Affairs Section of the Lhasa PSB. The cost for the ATP is CNY 50 per person. Holders of the ATP are authorized to travel to the following restricted areas of Tibet:^[166]

• Shigatse: Sakya Monastery, North Base Camp of Mt. Everest, Rongbuk Monastery
• Tsetang: Samye Monastery, Valley of the Kings, Changdruk Temple, Yungbulakang Palace
• Gyangtse: Palcho Monastery and Kubum Stupa
• Ngari Region
• Nyingchi: Pagsum Lake
• Chamdo Region

The TTP is also required by nationals of Republic of China (Taiwan) holding a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents or a Chinese Travel Document, but it is not required for Chinese nationals residing in Hong Kong or Macau with a Home Return Permit, or any person with a Chinese Resident Identity Card.^[168] Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents with Resident Permit are also exempt from TTP requirements.^[169] Foreign diplomats and journalists are prohibited to travel to Tibet without the permission of the Chinese government and, if approved, can only join tours that are accompanied and organized by Chinese government officials.^[170] In practice, journalists are escorted by MFA and MPS officials for the entire duration of their visit and their movements are limited in order to prevent them from communicating with the Tibetans.^[171]

In March 2016, the government of TAR announced intentions of reform, which include the streamlining of TTP and ATP application procedures and shortening processing time of the permits. There is no timeline of implementation of these measures as officials claimed that they were "still being studied".^[167]