China entry requirements for U.S. citizens

What you need to enter China

For a tourist trip, the rule for U.S. citizens is: under review — see the official source¹. You must get the visa before you arrive in mainland China. There are two exceptions, explained below: visa-free transit and visa-free visits to Hainan.

Rules change, and the Chinese government decides who can enter. Check the official site before you travel.

How to apply

Current visa information is on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the United States, under review — see the official source². Follow the steps the Embassy describes for a tourist visa. Start early: the visa goes in your passport, so your passport must meet the rules below before you apply.

How long you can stay

under review — see the official source⁵

Read the duration of stay on your visa as soon as you receive it, and leave China before it ends. Rules change and China's government decides; check the official site before you travel.

Passport rules

under review — see the official source⁶ under review — see the official source⁷

Rules change and the destination government decides, so confirm these on the official site before you travel. If your passport will not meet these rules, renew it before you apply for the visa. Renewing by mail takes under review — see the official source⁸ plus mailing time: see Renew your passport by mail. When you renew, you can ask for the larger book with more visa pages. Extra cost: under review — see the official source⁹.

Short on time? under review — see the official source¹⁰ Read Urgent travel: getting a passport fast.

Travel advisory

The U.S. Department of State's travel advisory for China is under review — see the official source⁴. The level can change at any time. Read the full advisory before you book and again before you go; the link is under "Sources and verification" at the end of this guide.

Visa-free exceptions: transit and Hainan

Transit. If you are passing through China on the way to a third country, you may be able to enter without a visa for up to under review — see the official source¹¹. You enter through designated ports, stay in the permitted areas only, and travel with an ordinary passport and a confirmed onward ticket.

Hainan. U.S. citizens can visit Hainan province without a visa for up to under review — see the official source¹², for tourism and some other short-term purposes, but not for work or study.

Both exceptions have conditions. Rules change and China's government decides who can use them, so check the official source before you plan a trip around either one.

Registration after you arrive

under review — see the official source¹³

If you stay in a hotel, ask the staff to confirm that your stay is registered. Rules change, so check the official source for the current ways to register.

Step by step

Checklist

Before you fly to China

Print checklist

• U.S. passport with enough remaining validity
• Blank visa pages in your passport
• Chinese visa in your passport, or a confirmed transit or Hainan plan that meets the official conditions
• Duration of stay on the visa checked
• Plan for registration at each hotel or residence
• Latest U.S. travel advisory read
• Official site checked again in the week before you fly

Do and don't

Do

• Apply early, so your passport and visa are ready before you book flights you cannot change.
• Follow only the instructions on the Chinese Embassy's official website.
• Keep proof of where you stay, so each stay can be registered.

Don't

• Don't fly to mainland China without a visa unless you meet the official conditions for an exception.
• Don't stay past the duration printed on your visa.
• Don't use the Hainan exception for work or study.

Fees

This is a government fee. It is paid to the Chinese Embassy, not to Passmere.

The current Embassy fee is a reduced fee for a limited time. Fees can change, so check the official site for the fee on the day you apply.

Frequently asked questions