China Travel Restrictions & Travel Advisory

Which countries can travel to China without visas?

• If you are from the US, the UK, Canada, and 51 other countries, you can enjoy a 10-day visa-free transit in China. Contact us to plan the perfect visa-free itinerary to suit your needs.
• If you are from Italy, Australia, Spain, Germany, France, New Zealand, Belgium, the UAE, and 29 other countries, you can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days until December 31st, 2025.
• If you are from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, or Uruguay, you can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days from June 1st, 2025, to May 31st, 2026.
• If you are from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, or Bahrain, you can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days from June 9th, 2025, to June 8th, 2026.
• If you are from Russia, you can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days from September 15th, 2025, to September 14th, 2026.
• Citizens of countries with mutual visa exemption agreements with China, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the UAE, also do not need a visa to enter China.

When Do I Need a Visa

If you don't meet the visa-free requirements, or if you plan to stay in China longer than the visa-free period allows, you'll need to apply for a visa (L Visa for tourism).

• First, fill out the form at the China Online Visa Application website (for U.S. applicants);
• Second, take the required documents to the embassy to submit;
• Finally, you will get a return receipt if your documents are qualified.

Usually, you will get your visa after 7-10 working days. See more on How to Apply a China Visa.

If you want a simpler visa process, you might consider entering China with a port visa, eliminating the need for an in-person interview at the embassy. The cost is approximately $100 — half, or even less, than what you'd pay for a visa in your home country.

Port visas can be applied for a group at least including 2 people. You need to enter the country within 15 days after you get your entry permit. The port visa allows a stay period of 1 to 2 months.

Applicable ports include Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Guilin, Xi'an, Chengdu, etc.

Book your China trip with us and we can help you apply for a port visa.

If your visa was issued before the pandemic and is still valid (for example, a 10-year visa), you can still use it to enter China without reapplying.

However, if your visa has expired, you'll need to apply for a new one.

Q: What if my passport expires but my visa doesn't?

A: You can travel to China on the expired passport containing a valid Chinese visa in combination with the new passport, provided that the identity information (name, date of birth, gender, nationality) on both passports is identical.

If there is a change to any of the above details, you must apply for a new visa.

International Flights to China

The number of international flights to China is steadily increasing.

There are direct flights between China and countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Italy.

Here, we've highlighted only some of the main cities with direct connections to China.

From the list, it's clear that Shanghai and Beijing are the best gateway cities for entering and leaving China, offering the most flight options.

There isn't a significant difference between entering via Shanghai or Beijing.

If you enter through Shanghai, you may consider the following itineraries (from south to north):

• 3-week itinerary (in-depth) : Shanghai → Suzhou → Huangshan → Hangzhou → Guilin → Zhangjiajie → Xi'an → Datong → Beijing
• 2-week itinerary (classic): Shanghai → Guilin → Zhangjiajie → Xi'an → Beijing
• 1-week itinerary (time-smart): Shanghai → Xi'an → Beijing

If you enter through Beijing, you may consider:

• 3-week itinerary: Beijing → Xi'an → Lhasa → Chengdu → Zhangjiajie → Guilin → Shanghai
• 2-week itinerary: Beijing → Xi'an → Zhangjiajie → Guilin → Shanghai

Of course, you can also choose other entry cities, such as Kunming, Chengdu, or Chongqing. You could get some inspiration from our How to Plan Your First Trip to China.

We can customize your itinerary based on your preferences. Below are some of our popular tour examples for reference:

• 21-Day A Grand Tour of China's Landmarks
• 14-Day Beijing–Xi'an–Zhangjiajie–Guilin–Shanghai
• 8-Day Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai

Is It Safe to Travel to China

China is considered one of the safest countries in the world for travelers. The Chinese government has been continuously optimizing and simplifying visa policies. It clearly shows they welcome tourists from all over the world.

For example, even late at night—say around midnight—you can confidently walk the streets without worrying too much about your safety.

You can also see from many TikTok videos that travelers in China are relaxed and enjoying themselves, and that locals are friendly and welcoming.

Seeing China for yourself will give you a clearer picture than what media reports can show.

In general, unless you do something to attract negative attention, you are likely to be much safer in China than in many other parts of the world.

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

Amazing time in Beijing Tom has been an amazing guide during our trip to Beijing. He explained us a lot about all the attractions we have visited, giving details about the history behind.Always on time, always flexible to accomodate our needs and requests. He gave us a lot of great suggestions about what to do in the free time and about restaurants.Has been a real pleasure to have him as guide, hope everyone can have someone like him during their time in Beijing. more Aug 2025, giulio

Experienced and knowledgeable private guide Mark is a knowledgeable private guide with good English skills. He always had a story or tips to share at each location we visited. Also he and Mr Joe the driver were very flexible. We were there leading up to a military parade and so some locations were restricted around Tiananmen Square and so they worked late to help us navigate the situation and accomplish our goal to see the square. more Aug 2025, taylor kevin

Best Experience Ever! (Thanks Bruce!) We had the chance for traveling to the Great Wall (Mutianyu section) and we really enjoyed the experience.Bruce was our guide and was absolutely helpful and supportive.And also a great photographer! more Aug 2025, giorgiocY8586FY

Tour China with Us

We've been building our team for over 20 years. Even over the past three years we have continued, serving over 10,000 expats with China tours and getting a lot of praise (see TripAdvisor).

We are based in China and can show you the characteristics and charm of China from a unique perspective. Just contact us to create your China trip.

Our consultants will listen to and answer your inquiries carefully and prepare the best plan for you.

• 11-Day Beijing–Xi'an–Guilin–Shanghai — our top itinerary for families
• 2-Week Beijing – Xi'an – Chengdu – Yangtze Cruise – Shanghai Tour — the best choice for panda fans
• More Top China Tours