China Entry Requirements
Visa, immigration, and customs information
Information last reviewed June 2024. Always verify with official government sources before traveling.
Visa Requirements
Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.
China keeps a tight visa net. Only a handful of passports enter visa-free, while everyone else must secure a visa in advance or squeeze through the transit-without-visa (TWOV) loophole.
Passport holders who may enter China without any prior approval
The 15-day visa-free rule for Singapore, Brunei, Japan is temporarily suspended for ordinary passport holders. Check current status. All visa-free entries are for tourism, business, or transit only, paid work is prohibited.
Nation transiting through specific airports to a third country can stay visa-free
Cost: Free
Your route must read A→China→C; doubling back to the same country (A→China→A) kills eligibility. Remain inside the approved municipality/province and register with police within 24 h if you leave the airport transit zone.
All other travelers must secure a visa before arrival
US citizens pay more than Europeans due to reciprocity. Ten-year multiple-entry tourist visas are issued to US, UK, Canadian, and Argentine passport holders if requested. Fingerprints collected on first application after 2019.
Arrival Process
You'll face three sequential gates: quarantine (health), immigration (border), and customs (luggage). Keep your phone charged, you may have to flash a health QR code.
Documents to Have Ready
Tips for Smooth Entry
Customs & Duty-Free
China enforces strict limits on duty-free items and bans many agricultural products. Declare cash, high-value electronics, or commercial goods to avoid fines.
Prohibited Items
- Fresh fruit, meat, dairy, risk of avian flu & foot-and-mouth disease
- Satellite phones without Ministry of Industry permit
- Printed or digital material deemed politically sensitive
- More than 20 AA batteries (classed as dangerous goods)
Restricted Items
- Traditional medicine containing endangered species, needs CITES permit
- Drones over 250 g, must register with CAAC and carry proof
- Prescription narcotics or strong painkillers, carry doctor letter and translate to Chinese
Health Requirements
No compulsory vaccinations for entry from most countries, but yellow-fever certificate is mandatory if arriving from affected zones. Carry proof of travel insurance, hospitals in China expect up-front payment.
Required Vaccinations
- Yellow fever (only if arriving from or transiting through endemic countries in Africa/Latin America within 14 days)
Recommended Vaccinations
- Hepatitis A & B
- Typhoid
- Japanese encephalitis (rural south and east)
- Tick-borne encephalitis (forest areas in northeast)
- Routine boosters: MMR, DPT, flu
Health Insurance
Not legally required for a visa. But hospitals refuse treatment without guarantee of payment. Buy china travel insurance with at least USD 50,000 medical cover and evacuation clause.
Protect Your Trip with Travel Insurance
Comprehensive coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and 24/7 emergency assistance. Many countries recommend or require travel insurance.
Get a Quote from World NomadsRead our complete China Travel Insurance Guide →
Important Contacts
Essential resources for your trip.
Special Situations
Additional requirements for specific circumstances.
Bring birth certificate showing parental relationship. If only one parent is present, carry notarized consent letter from the absent parent. Chinese exit/entry officers check for child trafficking.
Dogs and cats need an international health certificate issued within 10 days of travel, rabies shot between 30 days and 12 months, and microchip readable in China. One pet per passport. Apply for import permit via GACC online before arrival. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou have designated quarantine inspection sites; 7, 30 days home quarantine may apply.
Tourist visas can be extended once for up to 30 extra days at local Exit-Entry Administration bureaus (apply 7 days before expiry). For longer study or work, convert to residence permit within 30 days of entry. You must leave China to change visa type if you entered visa-free.
Know What to Pack
Climate-specific clothing, travel documents, electronics, and gear — with shopping links for every item.
View China Packing List →Ready to plan your trip to China?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.