By Off Path Now · Updated
Choose the rule that fits your passport and route
Checked on 1 November 2026. For a European holiday in mainland China, start with your passport nationality, then your dates and flight route. The 30-day unilateral visa exemption and 240-hour visa-free transit are separate arrangements. Meeting a nationality requirement alone does not settle entry eligibility; border inspection authorities decide admission.
This guide focuses on ordinary passport holders planning short visits. Other bilateral or regional exemptions may apply to passports outside the lists below. Hong Kong and Macao have their own entry requirements. Recheck the official rules before buying flights and again before departure.
The 30-day option: straightforward for many European visitors
The National Immigration Administration’s unilateral exemption list contains 50 countries. It includes France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, the Nordic countries and the UK, among others. Canada, Australia and New Zealand are also included. Check your exact nationality on the complete list: EU membership or European residence does not itself establish eligibility.
The permitted purposes include tourism, business, visits to family or friends, exchanges and transit. A normal return flight is compatible with this arrangement; you do not need to continue to a third country. It is therefore the simpler starting point for an eligible traveller planning a two-week holiday.
The United States, Czech Republic and Lithuania are absent from this particular 30-day list. Their ordinary passport holders should check the transit option or the visa requirements for their own circumstances, rather than assume that all European or Western passports receive the same treatment.
Policy end dates: check 2027 separately
The Chinese Embassy in the UK confirms that the UK and Canada joined the 30-day arrangement on 17 February 2026, with the published policy running through 31 December 2026. The foreign ministry’s visa-free FAQ gives that same end date for 48 of the 50 countries; Brunei has no published expiry in that FAQ.
Russia is an exception: a 20 May 2026 embassy announcement extends its arrangement through 31 December 2027. That extension does not extend the terms for other nationalities. For a 2027 arrival, check a new official notice for your own passport; do not book on the assumption that a previous extension will happen again.
How the 30 days are counted
The 30 calendar days begin at 00:00 on the day after entry, according to the NIA. For example, arrival on 1 March means the counted period begins on 2 March and ends on 31 March. Confirm your permitted departure date at the border, especially for travel around a policy expiry date.
Under the embassy FAQ, an ordinary passport must remain valid throughout the intended stay. Temporary or emergency travel documents do not qualify for this exemption. If you already intend to stay longer than 30 days, arrange the appropriate visa before travel. An application for extra time after arrival requires appropriate reasons and approval; it is not a planning substitute.
The 240-hour option: genuine onward transit
The NIA’s transit policy covers 57 nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Lithuania. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on 20 August 2026. Eligible travellers may enter through 65 designated ports in 24 provincial-level regions and stay within permitted areas for up to 240 hours.
You need an ordinary passport, at least three months’ remaining document validity, and a confirmed onward ticket with a departure date and seat to a third country or region. You must also meet that onward destination’s entry requirements. Read the NIA’s application conditions alongside its current nationality list; older notices may still show earlier country totals.
The flight connection that can change your eligibility
For transit, compare the last country or region before mainland China with the first one after it. They must differ. Paris–Beijing–Tokyo meets this routing principle; Paris–Beijing–Paris does not. These examples illustrate the route test only: the passport, ports, ticket and other conditions still apply.
Connections count. Geneva–Paris–Beijing–Paris fails because France is immediately before and after China, even though the journey began in Switzerland. Direct Geneva–Beijing–Paris meets the route principle. The Beijing government’s official FAQ explains both examples and also confirms a Busan–Beijing–Hong Kong itinerary. Tell your airline the complete routing when checking boarding requirements.
Count transit time from the following midnight
The Shanghai border inspection FAQ confirms that the 240 hours begin at 00:00 the day after arrival. If you arrive on 1 March, the period starts on 2 March and ends at the end of 11 March. The temporary entry permit records the authorised stay: check it before leaving the inspection desk.
Plan your departure with a buffer. A delayed train, missed flight or extra hotel night does not automatically lengthen permission to stay. Avoid using the last possible departure as the foundation of a busy multi-city itinerary.
You can cross provinces, within the permitted areas
Transit permission is not unrestricted travel throughout China. You may move between the approved areas during the authorised stay, so entry in Beijing and departure from Shanghai can work when the other requirements are met. Some regions are covered in full; others allow only named cities or prefectures. Check the NIA’s current port and area table against every stop, including side trips.
An intercity train booking or domestic flight does not by itself establish permission to visit its destination. Check entry and exit ports separately from the places where you want to stay; a famous attraction appearing in a China itinerary says nothing about its transit eligibility.
Sichuan: Chengdu and Leshan are not the whole province
For 240-hour transit, the published Sichuan zone comprises 11 cities: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya’an, Meishan and Ziyang. The official Sichuan travel guidance identifies Chengdu Shuangliu and Tianfu airports as its designated ports. Check the current NIA table before travel.
That list does not cover every mountain or scenic region in Sichuan. Do not add a remote side trip without checking its administrative location and permitted travel area. The 30-day unilateral exemption does not impose this 11-city transit boundary, although separate access or permit rules can still apply to particular places.
Arrival card, accommodation and useful documents
Keep your accommodation details, flight bookings and a simple itinerary accessible for inspection. The NIA’s online arrival card service is free; use its official channels. Paper cards and airport devices remain available for travellers who cannot complete it beforehand. Filling in a card does not grant entry permission.
Hotels handle guest accommodation registration. If you stay with friends or in another non-hotel home, you or your host must register with the local public security authorities within 24 hours of arrival at the accommodation. The NIA explains the rule and online registration channels; ask your host to help with the address and procedure.
Build the trip around the permission you actually have
For an eligible 30-day traveller, a 10- to 16-day route allows time for a slower journey and a normal return flight. A transit traveller needs a shorter route, approved areas and a qualifying onward departure. Work, study and journalism require the relevant approvals and visas under these arrangements.
Off Path Now can help shape the pace and practical route around your dates and passport nationality. Share those basics when planning; this guide does not require you to send passport scans or financial details. We do not determine visa eligibility or guarantee admission. Confirm any uncertain entry point with the Chinese embassy, NIA or border inspection authority before committing to travel.
Photographs: Off Path Now owner archive.
Official sources and background
NIA: List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption Policies
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
Chinese Embassy in Canada: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
Chinese Embassy in the UK: Notice on China’s Visa Waiver Policy for the UK and Canada
Chinese Embassy in Russia: Extension of unilateral visa exemption, 20 May 2026
NIA: Visa-Free Transit Policies, 20 August 2026
NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam
NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2025: application conditions and 65 ports
Beijing Municipal Government: Guide to Inbound Trips in Beijing
Shanghai Border Inspection: calculation of 240-hour transit duration
Shanghai Municipal Government: Discover Sichuan, permitted 11-city area
NIA: Transit policy, current port and permitted area table
NIA: Beware of Fraudulent Websites for Arrival Card Filling
NIA: Interpretation of online non-hotel accommodation registration