Often, no. Citizens of about 50 countries can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days — most of Europe, plus the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and others — under a policy currently running to the end of 2026. If your country is not on that list, the 240-hour (ten-day) transit scheme now covers 57 nationalities. Both lists change, so verify before you buy tickets.
The 30-day visa-free list
Holders of ordinary passports from these countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days, for tourism, business, visiting family, exchange visits or transit:
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
How long it runs: for most of these countries the policy currently runs to 31 December 2026. For Russia it runs to 31 December 2027, and for Brunei no end date has been set. The 30 days are counted from the day after you enter.
What it does not cover: work, study and journalism are outside the scheme and still need a visa. Your passport must be an ordinary one — travel documents and emergency papers do not qualify.
If your country is not on that list: the transit route
Citizens of 57 countries can transit through China without a visa for up to 240 hours (ten days), provided they are travelling on to a third country or region with a confirmed onward ticket and enter and leave through one of 65 open ports. Chengdu is one of those ports.
That scheme was expanded from 55 to 57 countries on 20 August 2026. There is also a separate Hainan-only arrangement — 30 days visa-free for 61 countries entering through Hainan — which will not help you reach Sichuan, but is worth knowing if you are combining the two.
Ten days is enough for the five-day loop. The catch is that it has to be a genuine transit: China must be a stop between two other countries, not your destination.
If neither applies to you
Then you need a visa, and you should apply for it before you book anything else. Applications go through the Chinese embassy or consulate, or a visa application centre, in your own country — allow time, because the answer to “can I come?” should never be the thing you find out last.
Before you book anything
China's entry rules have changed repeatedly over the last two years: countries have been added and deadlines extended, sometimes at short notice. Do not plan around a list you read months ago — including this one.
- China's National Immigration Administration publishes the authoritative position, and Chinese embassies and consulates repeat it in their notices.
- The immigration service hotline is 12367, and it takes questions in English.
- If you are booking a trip, confirm your own passport against the current list first, and book flights after.
Questions I get on this one
Is the United States on the visa-free list?
Can I extend the 30 days once I am in China?
Does visa-free entry cover work or study?
Is ten days of transit enough for a Sichuan trip?
Compiled from China's National Immigration Administration announcements and the notices of Chinese embassies and consulates, checked in October 2026. This is the page that changes most often on this site — verify it before you rely on it. Related: permits for Western Sichuan · paying for things · all essentials