Enter
China visa & entry — pick your path
Most first-timers choose among visa-free entry, 240-hour transit, or a tourist (L) visa. Start with your nationality list, then lock flights and hotels around that rule.
Three paths
One page, three decision tracks
Entry rules change. Treat this as a routing hub — confirm eligibility on the linked guides and your embassy / National Immigration Administration notices before you book non-refundable tickets.
240-hour visa-free transit
For eligible passports with confirmed onward travel to a third country. Read port and stay rules carefully.
Open transit guide →Visa-free entry list
If your nationality appears on the current list, you may enter without applying for a tourist visa — check stay length for your passport.
Open country list →China tourist visa
When visa-free or transit does not fit your itinerary. Application steps vary by consulate — start early.
Open L visa guide →After you know the path
Prepare the ground stack
Entry permission is not the same as a working phone on day one.
Digital Survival Kit
VPN, eSIM, payments, apps before you fly.
Foreigner-friendly hotels
First-night stays that can register passports.
Visa-free trip planning
Logistics when you already qualify for entry.
Beijing–Xi’an–Shanghai 10 days
Classic corridor with logistics notes.
Next
Path clear? Book transport and stays
Flights, passport-friendly hotels, and high-speed rail in English.