30 days per entry· Visa exemption

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after you arrive.

A return or onward ticket, or other proof of departure before the visa-free period ends, may be requested at the border along with an itinerary or hotel booking showing the purpose of the visit; enforcement is most strictly and explicitly documented for the separate visa-free transit policy specifically, not this general entry policy

You should have No fixed amount is officially published for general visa-free entry, border officers may ask for bank statements or credit card evidence of sufficient funds for the stay.

Nearly every foreign visitor must submit China's Arrival Card online in advance, mandatory at all ports nationwide since 20 November 2025. Separately, foreign visitors not staying at a hotel (hotels register their guests automatically) must complete accommodation registration at the local public security organ within 24 hours of arrival, a requirement of the Exit and Entry Administration Law itself, not specific to visa-free entry

500Under Article 78 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, illegal residence first draws a warning; where circumstances are serious, a fine of RMB 500 per day applies, capped at RMB 10,000 total, or detention of 5 to 15 days instead. Under Article 81, a serious violation can lead to deportation, with re-entry barred for 10 years from the date of deportation

Declare cash above RMB 20,000 for domestic currency; USD 5,000 (or equivalent, combined across all foreign currencies carried) for foreign currency cash, confirmed directly against General Administration of Customs regulations.

Only for genuine emergencies or force majeure, confirmed directly in the National Immigration Administration's own published Q&A, not a routine option; apply for a stay permit at the exit-entry administration department of the local public security organ before the visa-free period ends

Hainan Province separately offers its own 30 day visa-free entry program to individual travelers, not just tour groups, for a broader list of 59 countries, restricted to entry and stay within Hainan Province's own administrative region only, not the rest of China; a traveler whose nationality is not otherwise exempt for China nationally may still qualify for this Hainan specific access

Always confirm with the official embassy or consulate before you fly.