Entry policy is one of the few parts of a China trip that can change between reading this and booking a flight. We checked the policy details below on 2 October 2026; confirm them against an official source close to your departure. We say where to check at the end.
Who this is for
This covers ordinary tourist travel on a UK or US passport. If you are travelling for work, holding a non-ordinary passport, or entering through Hong Kong or Macau before continuing to the mainland, your situation has a few extra points to check, which we have put in the FAQ rather than the main text.
What changed recently
Two things matter most.
In December 2024, China widened its transit-without-visa scheme to ten days (240 hours), up from the older 72 and 144 hour windows. It now covers 57 nationalities, including the UK and the US, and 65 entry ports across 24 provinces and municipalities.
Then, from 17 February 2026, China introduced visa-free entry for UK citizens for stays of up to 30 days. For a British traveller, that removes the biggest obstacle a China trip used to involve. US travellers did not get the same change, which is the next thing to understand.
If you hold a UK passport
For most British holidaymakers, China is now much easier to enter than it used to be. If you hold an ordinary British citizen passport, you can visit for tourism for up to 30 days without applying for a visa in advance. The current exemption runs until 31 December 2026. You do not book an embassy appointment, pay a fee, or file paperwork beforehand. You travel on your passport and clear immigration on arrival.
For most leisure trips, that is the whole picture. UK government advice is that your passport should be valid for at least six months from the day you arrive, with two blank pages. Keep your return travel and accommodation details to hand in case you are asked.
The limit is 30 days per entry. If you want to stay longer or your purpose falls outside the permitted categories, apply for a visa. The exemption also covers business, family or friend visits, exchanges and transit; it does not authorise paid work.
If you hold a US passport
For now, you generally still need a visa for a standard leisure trip. The 30-day visa-free arrangement that applies to UK citizens does not extend to American passport holders, so ignore any headline that says "China is visa-free" without telling you for whom.
There is one route worth understanding, because it suits a particular kind of trip: the transit-without-visa scheme.
How the 240-hour transit rule works
If you are passing through China on the way to a third country or region, you may be able to enter without a visa for up to ten days, as long as you meet the conditions. The main ones are that you arrive from one country or region and leave for a different one, that you hold a confirmed onward ticket, that you enter and exit through eligible ports, and that you stay within the areas the scheme allows.
This works well for an American traveller who wants a week or more in China and has an onward destination anyway, say a trip that carries on to Japan or Southeast Asia. Hong Kong and Macau count as a separate region for this rule, so flying into Shanghai and leaving for Hong Kong by train or plane can qualify. It is not a way around a simple there-and-back trip from the same country, and officers do check that the logic of your itinerary holds together. If your itinerary does not fit the rule, do not bend it into shape. Apply for the visa instead.
Registering where you stay
One rule catches people out regardless of passport: foreign visitors are expected to register their accommodation with local police, usually within 24 hours of arriving.
If you are staying in hotels, this is handled for you at check-in. You hand over your passport, they scan it, and the registration happens behind the desk.
The time to pay attention is when you stay somewhere that is not a hotel, such as a friend's flat or a private apartment booked outside the formal hotel system. There you need to make sure registration is completed with the local police. Ask your host or the local Public Security Bureau which registration method applies; do not assume that it has been handled for you.
What to check before you fly
Because this is the part of your trip most likely to shift, build in one habit. Before you book flights, and again a week or two before you leave, confirm the current rules through an official channel: the Chinese embassy or consulate for your country, or an official visa application service centre. Do not rely on a forum thread from last year.
If your situation is anything other than "UK passport, leisure, under 30 days" or "clear transit through an eligible port", that final check matters all the more.
Quick answers
Does the 30-day visa-free rule apply to Americans?
No. As of 2026 it applies to UK citizens, not US passport holders.
Is visa-free the same as the 240-hour transit scheme?
No. These two are often confused, and the difference matters. Visa-free entry, for eligible nationalities such as the UK, lets you visit for a stay on its own terms. Transit-without-visa is for journeys that continue on to a third country.
Does Hong Kong count for the 240-hour transit rule?
Yes, as the onward or arrival region. Flying from the US into Shanghai and continuing to Hong Kong can qualify. Arriving from Hong Kong and returning to Hong Kong does not, because you would leave for the same place you came from.
How much passport validity do I need?
UK government advice is at least six months from the day you arrive, with two blank pages. Airlines often apply the same rule at check-in, so US travellers should plan on six months too.
Sources & checking details
Rules change. This reflects policy checked on 2 October 2026 and is not legal or immigration advice. Always confirm with an official Chinese embassy, consulate or visa service centre before booking.
