Tools · Border rules · 60 seconds

Will I need a visa
for China?

Rules reviewed 14 October 2026 Runs entirely in your browser Nothing uploaded, nothing stored
30-day visa-free entry for most European passports is valid through 31 December 2026. Russia is extended through 31 December 2027. Confirm the current rule for your passport and entry date before travel. Details

For most European passports the answer in 2026 is simply no — 30 days visa-free. Answer four questions for a planning check against your passport, purpose, trip length and entry year, with the documents to prepare. This checks announced eligibility, not permission to enter; border authorities make the admission decision. Your answers never leave this page.

The announced deadline includes 31 December of the applicable year: 2026 for most listed European passports, 2027 for Russia.

No data about you leaves this page. Refresh the page and your answers are gone — that is the whole design.

How to read your result

Sources reviewed 14 October 2026: National Immigration Administration nationality list, embassy policy FAQ, and the 20 May 2026 Russian extension announcement. The later Russian announcement supersedes the Russian deadline in the older FAQ.

Visa-free means no advance visa application for an eligible trip — supporting documents still matter: complete the online arrival card, carry a printed first-hotel and onward-ticket confirmation, and remember that accommodation registration is separate from visa eligibility. Hotels handle it for hotel stays; for private accommodation, confirm the registration steps with the local authorities.

If your passport sits outside the covered list, the standard tourist (L) visa is a routine application, and the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme covers more nationalities when China is combined with an onward third country. Either way, we plan around it — visa questions are part of every first conversation with us.

Ask us with your dates The full country-by-country guide

Questions people also ask

Does this tool upload or store my answers?
No. Every check runs in your own browser — no server call, no cookies, no record of your nationality, dates or purpose anywhere. Refresh and it is gone.
How current is the rule set inside the checker?
The nationality table is taken from public announcements and re-verified by our team; the page carries a verification date. Most listed European ordinary passports are covered through 31 December 2026; Russia is extended through 31 December 2027. Bilateral agreements require a separate country-specific check. Confirm current rules with the relevant Chinese embassy or consulate before travel.
My country is not on the visa-free list. Is China off the table?
Not necessarily. A standard tourist (L) visa is a routine application through the visa centre in your country, and the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme covers more nationalities when you combine China with an onward third country. We plan around either route.