Start with passport and route
Eligibility usually depends on nationality, ports, onward travel and exact timing.
Prepare proof
Keep hotel details, onward tickets and contact information accessible at check-in and border control.
Recheck close to travel
Entry rules can shift, so verify official guidance again before departure.
How to use this page
This tool is a planning aid, not an official ruling. Users should confirm final eligibility with official sources, airlines, and port-specific rules before travel.
How to read the result
"Likely eligible" means the entered details match a known visa-free framework in this site's current dataset. It still requires official verification before travel. "Check official source" means the tool cannot safely say yes from the current dataset.
Important limits
- This checker is for mainland China entry only.
- It does not cover diplomatic, service, refugee, emergency, or special travel documents.
- It does not decide whether your specific airport, railway port, or cruise port is eligible.
- It does not replace instructions from airlines, immigration officers, embassies, or consulates.
FAQ
Is this an official visa decision?
No. It is a conservative planning tool. Final decisions come from official authorities, airlines, and border inspection.
Why does the tool say "check official source"?
Because entry rules can depend on route, port, passport type, date, purpose, stay area, and onward ticket. A cautious answer is better than a false yes.
Should I save proof of the rule?
Yes. Save the official page or embassy notice offline, especially if using a newer visa-free or transit policy.
Official sources to verify
- MFA: FAQs on Visa-free Entry into China
- NIA: 240-hour transit visa-free policy
- State Council/Xinhua: 55-country transit update
Turn the entry result into a travel plan
Use the checker result as a document prompt, then verify the airline counter, permitted area, onward ticket and stay length before locking hotels or rail.
Manual review notes
The useful question is what an airline counter will accept.
The checker is intentionally conservative because the painful failure point is often before immigration: a check-in agent may reject a route that looks plausible online. Before travel, compare the tool result with the official notice, your airline's document check, and the exact airport or rail port you plan to use.
If your onward trip is on a different ticket, confirm whether bags, missed connections, and proof of onward travel still satisfy the carrier.
Transit permissions may allow movement within a defined region rather than all of mainland China. Build the itinerary around the permitted area.
Tourism, meetings, paid work, study, family visits, and media activity can be treated differently. Do not rely on a visa-free label for the wrong purpose.