Travelling to China
What you need for China, by passport.
- US passportVisa needed, apply before you goAction needed
- UK passportNo visa needed for up to 30 daysCleared
- Irish passportNo visa needed for up to 30 daysCleared
- Canadian passportNo visa needed for up to 30 daysCleared
- Australian passportNo visa needed for up to 30 daysCleared
- New Zealand passportNo visa needed for up to 30 daysCleared
Quick answers
Do I need a visa for China?
It depends on your passport. US passport: Visa needed, apply before you go. UK passport: No visa needed for up to 30 days. Irish passport: No visa needed for up to 30 days. Canadian passport: No visa needed for up to 30 days. Australian passport: No visa needed for up to 30 days. New Zealand passport: No visa needed for up to 30 days.
Good to know
Fingerprints at the border. Border officers may scan your fingerprints and take your photo when you arrive. Canada says this applies to visitors aged 14 to 70.
Register where you stay. Hotels register you with the police automatically. If you stay in a private home, you or your host must register within 24 hours of arriving. You can do this online through the NIA 12367 app.
Fake arrival card sites. The online arrival card is free on the official site, s.nia.gov.cn, and in the NIA 12367 app. Fake sites charge a fee.
Checked 26 October 2026 against National Immigration Administration of China, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Australia and Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States.
See the 18 official sources
- List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption Policies (National Immigration Administration of China)
- Visa-Free Transit Policies (National Immigration Administration of China)
- Announcement on Adding Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam to the 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy and the 30-Day Visa-Free Entry Policy for Hainan (No. 4 of 2026) (National Immigration Administration of China)
- Regional Visa-Free Entry Policies for Foreign Nationals (National Immigration Administration of China)
- Beware of Fraudulent Websites for Arrival Card Filling (National Immigration Administration of China)
- Policy Interpretation of the Nationwide Implementation of the Online Accommodation Registration Service for Foreigners (National Immigration Administration of China)
- Notice on China's Visa Waiver Policy for the UK and Canada (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK)
- Notice on the Extension of the Unilateral Visa-Free Policy (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK)
- FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK)
- Notice on Online Completion of Foreigners' Arrival Card (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK)
- Notice on Visa-free Policy for Canada and the UK (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada)
- Guidance on Online Arrival Card for International Travelers (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada)
- FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Australia)
- Notice on Implementation of Online Filling of Arrival Card (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Australia)
- Frequently Asked Questions on Visa-free Entry into China (Updated February 2026) (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States)
- Requirements and Procedures for Chinese Visa Application (Updated September 2025) (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States)
- Notice on Extension of Visa-Fee Reduction (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States)
- Notice on the Launch of the China Online Visa Application System (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States)