Do You Need a Visa for China in 2026? Visa-Free Rules by Passport

Most travellers from the Gulf and Europe can now visit China for up to 30 days without a visa. Travellers from the United States still need a visa for a normal round trip, but can stay up to 10 days visa-free when they fly on to a third country. The details below are what we check for every client before we plan a trip.

Gulf passports

• United Arab Emirates: visa-free for up to 30 days per visit, under a mutual agreement in place since 2018.
• Qatar: visa-free for up to 30 days under a mutual agreement.
• Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain: visa-free for up to 30 days. China introduced this in June 2025 and, as reported, extended it to 31 December 2026.

Direct flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Riyadh reach Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, so a Gulf family can land in China in about eight hours.

UK and Europe

Citizens of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and most other European countries can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days. The UK was added in February 2026. Most of these arrangements currently run to 31 December 2026, and China has extended them every year so far.

United States and other passports

US citizens are not on the 30-day list. You have two options:

1. Apply for a tourist visa (L visa) at a Chinese visa centre. This is the right choice for a round trip from the US.
2. Use 240-hour visa-free transit. If you fly from country A, through China, to a different country C (for example New York → Shanghai → Tokyo), you can stay in China for up to 10 days without a visa. A return ticket to the US does not qualify.

What visa-free entry allows

• Tourism, business, visiting family and friends, and transit
• Up to 30 days per entry (10 days for transit)
• A passport valid for the whole stay, and ideally six months beyond
• Hotel bookings and a return or onward ticket, which the border officer may ask to see

Before you book

Visa rules change often, and several of the arrangements above are due for renewal at the end of 2026. Check the National Immigration Administration or your nearest Chinese embassy shortly before you travel. When you plan a trip with us, we confirm the current rule for every passport in your group.

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