Policy · Dated updates
China entry policies — what changed, and when
Visa-free lists, transit rules, port visas and residence permits all shift from year to year. This page keeps a dated record of the changes that matter to travelers, with an official link for every entry, so you can see not just what the rule is, but when it was set.
Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. Rules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you apply. Sources at the bottom.
At a glance
The numbers right now
Where things stand as of 13 October 2026, with the source for each line. Always re-check a figure before you rely on it.
| Rule | Current status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Unilateral visa-free entry | 50 countries. Business, tourism, family visits, exchanges and transit, staying up to 30 days. Lists and end-dates vary by country. | China Consular Service FAQ |
| 240-hour transit visa-free | 57 countries, any of 65 open ports across 24 provinces, staying up to 10 days. | National Immigration Administration |
| 24-hour transit visa-free | All open ports. Stay inside the port area, or apply for a temporary entry permit. | National Immigration Administration |
| Port visa (arrival visa) | Applied for at the port. Single entry, stay up to 30 days, urgent, pre-approved cases only. | National Immigration Administration |
| Electronic port visa | Shanghai only (pilot). Single entry, valid for entry for 15 days, stay up to 30 days. | gov.cn / Shanghai government |
| 12367 hotline | One number for immigration questions, around the clock and multilingual. | National Immigration Administration |
The dated timeline
What changed, newest first
Each entry gives the date, what changed, and the official page it comes from.
240-hour transit visa-free now covers 57 countries and 65 ports
Nationals of 57 countries can transit visa-free for up to 240 hours (10 days), entering and leaving through any of 65 open ports in 24 provinces, and travelling between those regions. Tourism, business, visits and family visits are allowed; work, study and news coverage still need a visa. Every open port also offers 24-hour transit visa-free if you stay inside the port area. Official source Verified · official source
Unilateral visa-free entry: 50 countries, up to 30 days
Nationals of 50 countries holding ordinary passports may enter without a visa for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges or transit, for up to 30 days — counted from the day after you arrive. Brunei has no end date, Russia runs to 31 December 2027, and the other 48 countries run to 31 December 2026, so the list and the dates must be re-checked before you book. Official source Verified · official source
The arrival card goes online
Foreigners can now fill in the arrival card online before travelling, through the immigration authority's website, its service platform, the 12367 app and its mini-programs. Seven groups are exempt, including holders of the permanent residence card. A paper card is still available at the border. Official source Verified · official source
240-hour transit gains 5 ports; 24-hour direct transit gains 10 airports
Five Guangdong ports were added to the 240-hour transit visa-free network, taking it to 65 ports. Separately, 24-hour direct transit without border inspection was extended to ten more international airports, including Tianjin Binhai, Dalian Zhoushuizi, Nanjing Lukou, Fuzhou Changle, Qingdao Jiaodong, Wuhan Tianhe, Nanning Wuxu, Haikou Meilan, Chongqing Jiangbei and Kunming Changshui. Official source Verified · official source
K visa added for young science and technology talent
State Council Decree No. 814 added a new visa class for young foreign science and technology talent — bachelor's degree or above in a STEM field — as part of the visa categories in the Exit and Entry Administration Regulations. The decree took effect on 1 October 2025. Official source Official source (NIA) Verified · official source
Work permit and work residence permit: one window, parallel approval
The immigration authority is moving foreigners' work permit and work-type residence permit onto joint acceptance and parallel approval, so the two are handled together rather than one after the other. Employees transferred between sites of the same key employer are exempt from re-applying for a residence document. Official source Verified · official source
Mutual visa-exemption: how the "90 days in 180" cap is counted
Under mutual visa-exemption agreements, the 180-day window is counted backwards from any day of your stay, and the 90-day total may not include time you spent in China on a visa, a residence permit, or an APEC Business Travel Card. If fewer than 30 days remain inside the cap, that is how long your visa-free stay can be. Official source Verified · official source
The electronic port visa spreads across Shanghai
The pilot began in the Lin-gang New Area of the Shanghai free-trade zone, was widened to the whole of Pudong on 25 October 2024, and covered the whole of Shanghai in 2025. The inviting company applies online; the visa is stored digitally and has the same legal effect as a paper visa. Official source (Pudong) Official source (city-wide) Verified · official source
China's first electronic port visa is issued in Shanghai
The visa is single-entry, valid for entry for 15 days with a stay of up to 30 days, and is available in the F (visit), M (business), R (talent), Z (work) and S2 (private affairs) categories. You enter through any open port in Shanghai and may leave through any open port nationwide. Official source Verified · official source
Port visa (arrival visa) conditions broadened
Port visas were opened up beyond business travelers to people who need to come urgently for visits, exchanges, investment, starting a business, seeing relatives or handling private matters and who could not get a visa abroad in time. A port visa is single-entry with a stay of up to 30 days, and must be approved in advance on the Chinese side. Official source Verified · official source
The redesigned permanent residence card begins issuing
The redesigned Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card — the "Five-Star Card" — entered use, with an 18-digit ID number that stays with the holder for life, and wider acceptance in daily life. See the permanent residence guide. Official source Verified · official source
The 12367 hotline: one number for immigration questions
One number for immigration questions — visas, residence, entry and border matters — reachable around the clock and staffed in multiple languages, with an app and mini-program version as well. It is the fastest way to get an answer about your own case. Official source Verified · official source
Not yet official
Things to watch, not to rely on
Verify it yourself
Where to check before you travel
National Immigration Administration
Dated notes on visa-free entry, transit and residence rules live in its policy-interpretation section.
nia.gov.cn →China Consular Service
The visa-free FAQ and country lists, published by the Foreign Ministry's consular service.
cs.mfa.gov.cn →The 12367 hotline
One number for your own case, around the clock and multilingual, with an app and mini-programs.
How to reach it →Visa Application Service Center
Where most applicants submit a visa application, and where the fee and document lists are published.
visaforchina.cn →Related guides
Keep reading
Visa hub
Every visa type at a glance, and how to apply through the official channel.
Visa guides →Work & residence permits
The permits you need after you arrive on a work visa.
Work & residence →Permanent residence
The "Five-Star Card", the seven categories, and how hard it really is.
Permanent residence →Enjoyed this guide?
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Sources & disclaimer
Facts on this page are linked to the official sources below, checked on 13 October 2026. Requirements, fees and timelines change — always confirm with the issuing authority. This page is for reference only — official sources prevail; always check the latest version with the relevant Chinese authority. General information, not legal advice.
- National Immigration Administration — Transit visa-free policy (20 August 2026): 57 countries, 65 ports, 24 provinces, 240 hours, and the 24-hour rule
- National Immigration Administration — Policy interpretations index: the dated list that includes the unilateral visa-free country list (17 February 2026)
- China Consular Service (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — FAQs on visa-free entry: the 50-country list, 30-day stay, the 30-day counting rule, and the end-dates (Brunei open; Russia to 31 December 2027; 48 countries to 31 December 2026)
- National Immigration Administration — Notice on 10 measures to support opening-up (3 November 2025): the 5 extra 240-hour ports, the 10 extra 24-hour direct-transit airports, and the online arrival card
- The State Council (gov.cn) — State Council Decree No. 814, effective 1 October 2025: the new K visa class for young foreign science and technology talent (bachelor's degree or above in a STEM field)
- National Immigration Administration — policy interpretation of the K visa for young foreign science and technology talent
- National Immigration Administration — 14th Five-Year-Plan press conference (30 July 2025): joint acceptance and parallel approval of the work permit and work residence permit
- National Immigration Administration — Q&A on visa-free entry under mutual visa-exemption agreements (27 June 2025): how the 90-days-in-180 cap is counted, and the APEC Business Travel Card exclusion
- The State Council (gov.cn) — China's first electronic port visa issued in Shanghai (12 July 2024): single entry, 15-day entry validity, 30-day stay, categories F/M/R/Z/S2
- The State Council (gov.cn) — Electronic port visa pilot extended to the whole of Pudong (25 October 2024)
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government — 2025 review (9 January 2026): the electronic port visa extended from Pudong to the whole of Shanghai
- National Immigration Administration — Five measures to facilitate foreigners' entry (11 January 2024): the broadened port-visa conditions
- National Immigration Administration — Guide for foreigners applying for visas, residence documents and port visas: the port visa is single-entry with a stay of up to 30 days
- National Immigration Administration — Redesigned Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card issued from 1 December 2023 (the "Five-Star Card")
- National Immigration Administration — Contact page: the 12367 hotline, round-the-clock and multilingual