Foreign arrivals to China jumped 20.4% in the first half of 2026, with 77.7% entering visa-free. Here is who qualifies under the 30-day and 240-hour schemes, and why Beijing keeps widening the door.
Cover image: Tourists photographing the Shanghai Bund skyline across the river — photo by Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Foreign nationals made 22.914 million inbound trips to China in the first half of 2026, up 20.4% year on year, according to National Immigration Administration (NIA) figures reported by People's Daily. The headline inside that number is starker still: 17.815 million of those travellers entered without a visa — 77.7% of all foreign arrivals and a 30.6% jump on the same period of 2025. Visa-free entry is no longer a side door into China; it is the main gate.
Here is the position as of August 2026. Ordinary passport holders from 48 countries — most EU member states plus Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and much of Latin America — can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days under Beijing's unilateral trial policy, currently valid to 31 December 2026. The UK and Canada joined the list on 17 February 2026. China also holds full mutual visa-exemption agreements with 29 countries, and citizens of 55 countries, including the United States, can use the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit scheme via 65 ports of entry.
Which countries can enter China visa-free in 2026?
The unilateral 30-day scheme has grown in layers. In November 2025, Beijing extended the policy for 45 countries by a full year, to 31 December 2026, and added Sweden as the 46th, per the State Council's official portal. Then, following visits to Beijing by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Foreign Ministry announced on 15 February 2026 that British and Canadian ordinary passport holders could enter visa-free from 17 February — taking the unilateral list to 48. Permitted purposes are business, tourism, visiting family and friends, exchanges and transit.
Three schemes now sit side by side:
| Scheme | Who qualifies | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Unilateral visa-free (trial to 31 Dec 2026) | 48 countries: most EU states, UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and others | 30 days |
| Mutual visa-exemption agreements | 29 countries, including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and Georgia | Typically 30 days (varies by agreement) |
| 240-hour visa-free transit | 55 countries, including the United States; onward ticket to a third country required | 10 days, within designated regions |
Notably, the traffic is moving in the opposite direction to much of the world: while China removes paperwork, several governments are adding it, as we detailed in our guide to new entry requirements taking effect in 2026 in Chile, Egypt and the US.
How does China's 240-hour visa-free transit work?
The transit scheme is the workaround for nationalities not on the unilateral list — above all Americans. Citizens of 55 eligible countries holding a valid passport and a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region can enter at any designated port and stay up to 240 hours (10 days) within permitted areas, which now span 24 provincial-level regions including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.
- Ports: the NIA expanded eligible entry points from 60 to 65 in November 2025.
- Activities allowed: tourism, business, exchanges and family visits — but not paid work or study.
- The catch: a round trip home does not qualify; the onward leg must be to a different country or region, and travellers must stay inside the designated zones.
Why is China opening up to tourists?
Beijing frames the policy as part of "high-standard opening up", and the economics are straightforward: inbound visitors are export revenue for a services sector Beijing wants to grow, and every arrival is a data point against decoupling. People's Daily, citing The Economist, notes that surging interest in Chinese culture and travel on international social media — the "China Travel" content wave — is "increasingly translating into concrete consumer demand". Visa-free entry converts that curiosity into bookings at near-zero friction.
The soft-power dividend is real, too. First-hand trip reports from vloggers and returning tourists reach audiences state media cannot, which helps explain why the trial list keeps growing rather than shrinking, even as geopolitical tensions persist.
What is driving the summer 2026 momentum?
Beyond visa policy, China has been sanding down the practical frictions that used to derail foreign visitors. Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept linked foreign bank cards, so travellers can scan QR codes like locals in an economy where cash and foreign plastic often fail. Departure tax-refund rules have been upgraded, and customs processing streamlined, according to People's Daily's July round-up.
The regional context sharpens the story. Asia's inbound race is crowded: Japan set a July visitor record even as Chinese arrivals slumped, and Bangkok remains Asia's most-booked city. China's answer is to out-simplify its rivals on entry, a lever competitors that still require e-visas or arrival forms cannot match overnight. Travellers stitching together multi-country Asia itineraries should still check each leg separately — rules differ sharply, as our explainer on whether you need a visa for Vietnam shows.
The open question is what happens on 1 January 2027, when the current trial expires. On the evidence of H1 2026 — a fifth more arrivals, nearly four in five of them visa-free — renewal looks like the path of least resistance.
Frequently asked questions
Can US citizens visit China without a visa in 2026?
Not under the unilateral 30-day scheme — the United States is not on the 48-country list. However, US passport holders are eligible for the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy: enter at one of 65 designated ports with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, and stay within the permitted areas.
How long can UK and Canadian passport holders stay in China visa-free?
Up to 30 days per entry. China added the UK and Canada to its unilateral visa-free list on 17 February 2026, covering business, tourism, family visits, exchanges and transit. The policy currently runs to 31 December 2026, in line with the rest of the trial list.
Which countries can enter China visa-free for 30 days?
48 countries as of August 2026, including most EU member states, the UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and several Latin American nations such as Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Sweden was added in November 2025; the UK and Canada followed in February 2026.
Do I need an onward ticket for China's 240-hour visa-free transit?
Yes. The scheme is strictly for transit, so you must hold a confirmed interline ticket to a third country or region — a simple round trip back to your home country does not qualify. You can enter through any of 65 designated ports and stay up to 10 days within the approved regions.
Is China's visa-free policy permanent?
No. The unilateral 30-day scheme is a trial policy, currently extended to 31 December 2026 for all 48 countries. Beijing has repeatedly extended and expanded it since late 2023, and H1 2026's 30.6% growth in visa-free entries gives policymakers a strong case for renewal, but travellers should confirm status before booking 2027 trips.
Sources
- People's Daily — 22.91 million inbound visits: Why more international travelers are choosing China
- National Immigration Administration — Q1 2026 entry-exit statistics
- gov.cn — China to grant visa-free policy to Canadian, British nationals from Feb. 17
- gov.cn — China to extend unilateral visa-free policy for over 40 countries, with Sweden newly added
- gov.cn — China widens visa-free access in latest opening-up move (240-hour ports expanded to 65)
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