Visa requirements for Chinese citizens

An ordinary Chinese passport

Visa requirements for Chinese citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of China by the authorities of other states.

As of August 2021, Chinese citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 78 countries and territories, ranking the Chinese passport 72nd in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.^[1]

Historical perspective[]

Before February 2014, Chinese immigration authorities did not generally allow mainland Chinese citizens to board outbound flights without having a valid visa for the destination country, even if the destination country granted a visa on arrival to Chinese passport holders, unless the exit was approved by the Ministry of Public Security. Exceptions were possible if the traveller had a third country's visa and a connecting flight from the initial destination country to the third country. As of 10 June 2017, if the destination is a visa-on-arrival or e-visa issuing country this approval is no longer needed.

Visa requirements for Chinese citizens were lifted by Micronesia on 18 December 1980,^[2] the Bahamas on 12 February 2014, Indonesia in 2015, Grenada on 10 June 2015, Ecuador on 1 March 2016, Morocco on 1 June 2016, Tonga on 19 August 2016, Saint Kitts and Nevis on 1 January 2017, Serbia on 15 January 2017, Tunisia on 15 February 2017, Barbados on 1 June 2017, United Arab Emirates on 16 January 2018, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 29 May 2018, British Virgin Islands on 5 July 2018,^[3] St Lucia on 18 July 2018,^[4] Belarus on 10 August 2018, Qatar on 21 December 2018, Iran on 21 July 2019, Albania on 23 December 2019, Uzbekistan on 1 January 2020, Armenia on 19 January 2020, Oman on 16 December 2020, and Suriname on 1 May 2021.

Visas on arrival were introduced by Azerbaijan on 1 February 2016,^[5] Brunei on 23 May 2016, Ukraine on 1 October 2016, Armenia on 10 November 2016, São Tomé and Príncipe on 5 April 2017, Qatar on 22 June 2017, Gabon on 12 October 2017, Rwanda on 1 January 2018, Benin on 15 March 2018, Zimbabwe on 1 July 2018, Myanmar on 1 October 2018, Sierra Leone on 5 July 2019, Saudi Arabia on 28 September 2019, and Iraq on 15 March 2021.

Chinese citizens were made eligible for eVisas by India on 30 July 2015, Lesotho on 1 May 2017, Djibouti on 18 February 2018, Oman on 7 May 2018, Uzbekistan on 15 July 2018, Pakistan on 14 March 2019 and Saudi Arabia on 28 September 2019.^[6]

The country's passport index has constantly improved in the 00's decade from 42 in 2010 to 71 countries/territories by 22 January 2020, almost doubling its mobility access in 10 years. As shown before, more and more countries are lifting visa restrictions on Mainland China passport holders in recent years and there is a tendency for more countries to keep lifting restrictions as a way to pull the massive tourist market that Mainland Chinese tourists represent.

Visa requirements map[]

Visa-free travel for PRC citizens holding ordinary or public affairs passports

Greater China[]

Regions	Travel with permits from Mainland China	Travel with Chinese passport from Mainland China or overseas
Hong Kong	Two-way Permit and exit endorsement required[7]	Two-way Permit is required for those in transit to a third country. For PRC citizens residing overseas and not in transit, an entry permit and Two-way permit are required. Due to COVID-19, passengers who reside or have been in Mainland China and overseas passengers in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter or transit Hong Kong
Macau	Two-way Permit required[7]	Two-way Permit not required for those in transit to a third country within 30 days.
Taiwan	Exit and Entry Permit issued by Taiwan and Mainland Residents Travel Permit to Taiwan with exit endorsement required.Permit on arrival in Kinmen,Matsu and Penghu for 400 NTD.[8]	Exit & Entry Permit issued by Taiwan required (not required when transiting through sterile area of a Taiwanese airport to the third place on the same calendar day), Mainland Residents Travel Permit to Taiwan with exit endorsement required when departing from Mainland China (not required when transiting through sterile area of a Taiwanese airport to the third place on the same calendar day if departing from Chongqing, Kunming or Nanchang).

Visa requirements[]

Country	Visa requirement	Allowed stay	Notes (excluding departure fees)	Reciprocity
Afghanistan	Visa required[9]		An introducing letter (from employer/organization/university/etc.) is required.[10]	√
Albania	Visa not required[11][12]	90 days		X
Algeria	Visa required[13]			√
Andorra	Visa required[14]		Although officially no visa is required, at least a Double Entry Schengen visa is required to enter Andorra since it has no own airport facility.	√
Angola	eVisa[15][16]	30 days	Visitors who have been granted an online pre-visa or have requested a pre-visa from an Angolan consulate abroad are issued a visa upon arrival at the country's border crossings. Maximum total stay of 90 days within a one-year period.[17] Visitors must have a return/onward ticket and a hotel reservation confirmation.[18]	X
Antigua and Barbuda	Visa not required[19]	30 days		X
Argentina	Visa required[20]		Chinese citizens with an American Visa B2 or a Schengen Visa will require an electronic travel authorization (AVE) when traveling to Argentina as tourists for a period of up to 90 days.[21] As of 1 October 2017 visas are issued with a 10-year validity period.[22]	√
Armenia	Visa not required[23][24]	90 days	90 days within any 180 day period Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa for up to 30 days.[25]	√
Australia	Visa required[26]		May apply online (Online Visitor e600 visa and Online e400 work visa).[27] Effective from 20 June 2016, Chinese biometric passport holders use automated passport control SmartGate on arrival to Australia.[28]	√
Austria	Visa required[29]			√
Azerbaijan	eVisa / Visa on arrival[30]	30 days	Available at airports[5] eVisa is also available.[31] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Bahamas	Visa not required[33]	3 months[34]		√
Bahrain	eVisa / Visa on arrival[35]	14 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Bangladesh	Visa on arrival[36]	30 days.	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Barbados	Visa not required[37]	30 days		√
Belarus	Visa not required[38]	30 days	Visa free for 30 days, for a maximum total stay of 90 days within any year period.[39][40] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa for up to 30 days.[41]	√
Belgium	Visa required[42]			√
Belize	Visa required[43]		Visa is not required for cruise passengers.[44] Holders of a multi-entry visa or Permanent Residency Card issued by Canada and United States, do NOT require a visa to enter Belize as a tourist for a period of up to 30 days.[45]	√
Benin	eVisa / Visa on arrival[46][47]	30 days / 8 days	Must have an international vaccination certificate. Visa is not required when traveling on duty for up to 90 days. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Bhutan	Visa required[48]			√
Bolivia	Visa on arrival[49]		Visa valid for up to 90 days can be issued on arrival with evidence of onward tickets or booked hotel.[50] Bolivian embassy in Beijing also confirmed that Chinese nationals can get visa on arrival at airport or land checkpoint on 27 December 2017[51] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Visa not required[52]	90 days	90 days within any 180 day period[53]	√
Botswana	Visa required[54]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Brazil	Visa required[55]		Brazilian authorities announced a plan to abolish visas for Chinese citizens.[56][57]	√
Brunei	Visa on arrival[58]	14 days[59]		X
Bulgaria	Visa required[60]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by a Schengen Area member state.	√
Burkina Faso	Visa required[61]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Burundi	Visa required[62]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Cambodia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[63]		Visas valid for 30 days can be obtained on arrival or online.[64]	X
Cameroon	Visa required[65]			√
Canada	Visa required[66]		No transit visa is required if transiting through Calgary, Montreal Trudeau (Air Canada Flights only), Toronto Pearson (Terminal 1 only), Vancouver International or Winnipeg Airports to or from the United States within 24 hours of arrival while holding valid US visa and travelling on airlines that take part in China Transit Program. Need to departure through certain Asian airports if travelling to the United States. Need not to be under a removal or deportation order or staying in the United States longer than the authorized time if leaving the United States. eTA is required for transiting US permanent residents.[67] Visa is not required for permanent residents of the United States. An eTA is required by permanent residents of US if travelling by air.	√
Cape Verde	Visa on arrival[68]	30 days		X
Central African Republic	Visa required[69]			√
Chad	Visa required[70]			√
Chile	Visa required[71]		National visa may be substituted with a visa issued by Canada or the United States which is valid for a minimum of 6 months from the arrival date.	√
Colombia	Visa required[72]		National visa may be substituted with a visa issued by a Schengen Area member state or the United States which is valid for a minimum of 180 days from the arrival date.[73]	√
Comoros	Visa on arrival[74]	45 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Republic of the Congo	Visa required[75]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Visa required[76]			√
Costa Rica	Visa required[77]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa for stays up to 30 days. National visa may be substituted with a visa issued by Canada or the United States.	√
Côte d'Ivoire	eVisa[78]	3 months	eVisa holders must arrive via Port Bouet Airport Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Croatia	Visa required[79]		National visa may be substituted with a visa issued by a Schengen Area member state.	√
Cuba	Tourist Card Required[80]		Tourist Card is valid for a maximum stay of 30 days and is obtained in advance. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Cyprus	Visa required[81]		Holders of valid double or multiple entry Schengen visa or Bulgarian, Croatian and Romanian, as well as residence permits issued by Schengen Member States or by Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, are not required to hold a short-stay visa to enter the Republic of Cyprus for a time period that does not exceed 90 days in any 180 day period.[82]	√
Czech Republic	Visa required[83]			√
Denmark	Visa required[84]			√
Djibouti	eVisa[85]	31 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Dominica	Visa not required[86]	21 days		√
Dominican Republic	Visa required[87]		Holders of a visa issued by Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and any Schengen Area country can obtain a Tourist Card on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days. United Kingdom residents can obtain a Tourist Card on arrival for a maximum stay of 90 days.	√
Ecuador	Visa not required[88]	90 days	90 days within any one-year period	√
Egypt	Visa on arrival[89]		According to Egyptian diplomatic missions in China, Chinese citizens can apply for a visa on arrival since 19 July 2016 and can stay for up 30 days. However, according to IATA, Chinese citizens are visa exempt for 30 days if they hold a return ticket, a reservation in a 4 or 5 star hotel, and US$2000.[90][91][92]	X
El Salvador	Visa required[93]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by a Schengen Area member state, Canada or the United States.[94]	√
Equatorial Guinea	Admission refused[95]		From January 31, all passengers from China are not allowed to enter Equatorial Guinea due to COVID-19.	X
Eritrea	Visa required[96]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Estonia	Visa required[97]			√
Eswatini	Visa required[98]			√
Ethiopia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[99]	up to 90 days	Visa on arrival is obtainable only at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.[100] eVisa holders must arrive via Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. eVisas are available for 30 or 90 days.[101] Visa free for holders of passports for public affairs.[32]	X
Fiji	Visa not required[102]	4 months		√
Finland	Visa required[103]			√
France	Visa required[104]			√
Gabon	eVisa / Visa on arrival[105]		Starting from 20 December 2017, 90 days visa on arrival can be obtained at Libreville Airport.[106] Electronic visa holders must arrive via Libreville International Airport.[107] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Gambia	Visa required[108]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Georgia	eVisa[109]	30 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Germany	Visa required[110]			√
Ghana	Visa required[111]			√
Greece	Visa required[112]			√
Grenada	Visa not required[113]	30 days[114]	Beginning on December 1, 2020, all travellers to Grenada will be required to complete an online application in order to receive a Pure Safe Travel Authorization Certificate to enter Grenada.[115]	√
Guatemala	Visa required[116]			√
Guinea	eVisa[117]	90 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Guinea-Bissau	eVisa / Visa on arrival[118]	90 days		X
Guyana	Visa required[119]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Haiti	Visa not required[120]	3 months		X
Honduras	Visa required[121]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by Canada, the United States, or a Schengen Area member state, or a residence permit of the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.	√
Hungary	Visa required[122]			√
Iceland	Visa required[123]			√
India	eVisa[124]	60 days	e-Visa holders must arrive via 26 designated airports[Note 1] or 3 designated seaports.[Note 2][125] An Indian e-Tourist Visa can only be obtained twice in one calendar year. October 2019 onwards, Chinese nationals can apply for an e-Tourist visa (e-TV) of a 5-year validity with multiple entries.[126] The e-Visa regime is currently suspended for Chinese passport holders.	X
Indonesia	Visa not required[127]	30 days		X
Iran	Visa not required[128][129]	21 days[130]		X
Iraq	Visa on arrival[131]	60 days		X
Ireland	Visa required[132]		National visa may be substituted with a valid C visa or visas endorsed with BIVS issued by the United Kingdom until October 2021.[133] Entry is permitted only if a first point of entry to the Common Travel Area was in the UK.[134]	√
Israel	Visa required[135]		As of 2017 visas are issued with a 10-year validity period.[136]	√
Italy	Visa required[137]			√
Jamaica	Visa not required[138]	30 days		X
Japan	Visa required[139]		Passengers of approved cruise ships do not require a visa from April 2015.[140][141] Visa application requirements were simplified for Chinese citizens in May 2017.[142]	X
Jordan	Visa on arrival[143]	30 days		X
Kazakhstan	Visa required[144]		As of Jan. 2020, a visa is not required for transit.[145]	√
Kenya	eVisa / Visa on arrival[146]	3 months		X
Kiribati	Visa required[147]			√
North Korea	Visa required[148]		Chinese tourists may visit Tongnim County without a visa for 2 days.[citation needed] They may also visit Sinuiju for a day trip without a visa.[149] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
South Korea	Visa required[150]		Visa is not required for US Green card holders when in transit to/from US and a third country for a stay of 30 days. Visa is not required for direct or transit visitors to Jeju Island up to 30 days.[151]	√
Kuwait	Admission refused[152]		Due to COVID-19, Kuwait government stops issuing the travel visas to the ordinary passport holders of Chinese citizens.	√
Kyrgyzstan	eVisa[153]		Electronic visa holders must arrive via Manas International Airport or Osh Airport or through land crossings with China (at Irkeshtam and Torugart), Kazakhstan (at Ak-jol, Ak-Tilek, Chaldybar, Chon-Kapka), Tajikistan (at Bor-Dobo, Kulundu, Kyzyl-Bel) and Uzbekistan (at Dostuk).[154]	X
Laos	eVisa / Visa on arrival[155][156]	30 days	Visa on arrival is available at Luangphabang, Pakse, Savannakhet and Vientiane international airports, the 4 Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges,[Note 3] 13 border crossings,[Note 4] and Tanalaeng train station in Vientiane.[157] Visa on arrival facilities will be gradually phased out starting in January 2020.[158] eVisa may be used to enter Laos through Wattay International Airport and the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge The Lalai, Lantui, Meuang mom, Pakxan, and Phoudou border crossings are open only to visa holders. Visa on arrival is extendable up to 60 days. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Latvia	Visa required[159]			√
Lebanon	Visa on arrival[160]	1 month	Extendable for 2 additional months.	X
Lesotho	eVisa[161][162]			X
Liberia	Visa required[163]			√
Libya	Visa required[164]			√
Liechtenstein	Visa required[165]			√
Lithuania	Visa required[166]			√
Luxembourg	Visa required[167]			√
Madagascar	eVisa / Visa on arrival[168]	90 days		X
Malawi	eVisa / Visa on arrival[169][170]	90 days		X
Malaysia	eVisa[171]		Nationals of China who reside or have been in Hubei Province or have a passport issued in Hubei Province are not allowed to transit or enter Malaysia	X
Maldives	Free visa on arrival[172]	30 days		X
Mali	Visa required[173]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Malta	Visa required[174]			√
Marshall Islands	Visa required[175]			√
Mauritania	Visa on arrival[176]		Available at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Mauritius	Visa not required[177]	90 days		√
Mexico	Visa required[178]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa or residence issued by Canada, Chile, Colombia, Japan, Peru, United Kingdom, United States, or a Schengen Area member state. Also visa is not required for cruise ship passengers.[179]	√
Micronesia	Visa not required[180]	30 days		X
Moldova	eVisa[181]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by a Schengen Area member state for visits up to 90 days. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32] Chinese citizens can apply for a visa online without a need for an invitation letter.[182]	X
Monaco	Visa required[183]			√
Mongolia	Visa required[184]		Passengers who reside or have been in Hubei Province in the past month are not allowed to transit or enter Mongolia	√
Montenegro	Visa required[185]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by a Schengen Area member state, the United Kingdom, Ireland or the United States or permanent residence documents of a Schengen Area member state, the United Kingdom, Ireland or the United States for up to 30 days per stay for tourism and business.[186]	√
Morocco	Visa not required[187]	90 days		X
Mozambique	Visa on arrival[188]	30 days[189]		X
Myanmar	eVisa / Visa on arrival[190][191]	28/30 days	eVisa holders must arrive via Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airports or via land border crossings with Thailand — Tachileik, Myawaddy and Kawthaung or India — Rih Khaw Dar and Tamu. eVisa available for both tourism (allowed stay is 28 days) or business (allowed stay is 70 days) purposes. Visa on arrival can be issued at Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airport and is valid for 30 days. Residents in bordering provinces can apply for an entry-exit pass that work with their automated border control system to expedite crossing[192]	X
Namibia	Visa required[193]			√
Nauru	Visa required[194]			√
Nepal	Free visa on arrival[195]		Visa is issued free of charge for tourists.[196]	X
Netherlands	Visa required[197]			√
New Zealand	Visa required[198]		May enter using eGate.[199] Holders of an Australian Permanent Resident Visa or Resident Return Visa may be granted a New Zealand Resident Visa on arrival permitting indefinite stay (pursuant to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement), subject to meeting character requirements and obtaining an Electronic Travel Authority prior to departure.[200]	√
Nicaragua	Visa required[201]			√
Niger	Visa required[202]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Nigeria	Visa required[203]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
North Macedonia	Visa required[204]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by a Schengen Area member state, the United States, Canada or United Kingdom for stays up to 15 days if the visa is valid for at least five days beyond the period of intended stay in North Macedonia. *Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Norway	Visa required[205]			√
Oman	Visa not required[206]	14 days	* Chinese national are also eligible for single / multiple entry electronic visa valid for 30 days.	X
Pakistan	eVisa[207]		Online Visa eligible.[208] Electronic Travel Authorization to obtain a visa on arrival for business purposes.[209] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Palau	Free visa on arrival[210]	30 days	The Chinese government declared Palau as an illegal destination in August 2018[211]	X
Panama	Visa required[212]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by Australia, Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom for up to 30 days. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Papua New Guinea	eVisa[213]	30 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Paraguay	Visa required[214]			√
Peru	Visa required[215]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom or a Schengen Area member state or permanent residence documents of the United States, Canada, European Union or Australia for up to 180 days per stay for tourism and business.	√
Philippines	Visa required[216]			√
Poland	Visa required[217]			√
Portugal	Visa required[218]			√
Qatar	Visa not required[219]	30 days		√
Romania	Visa required[220]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by a Schengen Area member state if the journey is completed before the expiration of the Schengen visa.	√
Russia	eVisa[221]	16 days	e-Visa holders must arrive and departure via 29 checkpoints[222]	X
Rwanda	eVisa / Visa on arrival[223]			X
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Visa not required[224]	3 months		X
Saint Lucia	Visa not required[225][226]	6 weeks		X
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Visa required[227]			√
Samoa	Visa not required[203]	60 days		X
San Marino	Visa not required[228][229]	90 days.[230]	Although officially no visa is required, at least a Single Entry Schengen visa is required to enter San Marino since it does not have an own airport facility and no border controls.	√
São Tomé and Príncipe	eVisa / Visa on arrival[231]	15 days.[232][233]	Holders of a visa issued by the United States and the Schengen Area do not require a visa. Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Saudi Arabia	eVisa / Visa on arrival[234][235]	90 days		X
Senegal	Visa on arrival[236]	30 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa for 30 days.[32]	X
Serbia	Visa not required[237]	30 days[238]	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa up to 90 days within a six-month period.	√
Seychelles	Visa not required[239]	3 months[240]		√
Sierra Leone	Visa on arrival[241]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Singapore	eVisa[242]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32] Since 28 January 2019, Singapore has granted a 96-hour visa-free transit facility for Chinese citizens entering Singapore. Passengers in transit can apply for VFTF at check-in counter without charge. Between February and June 2020, passengers who have been in China in the past 14 days and all Chinese citizens were not allowed to transit or enter Singapore, and all visas issued were no longer vaild. A separate green lane was opened for business and essential travelling in June 2020.[243]	X
Slovakia	Visa required[244]			√
Slovenia	Visa required[245]			√
Solomon Islands	Visa required[246]		Pre-arranged visa can be picked up on arrival	√
Somalia	Visa on arrival[247]	30 days	Available at Bosaso Airport, Galcaio Airport and Mogadishu Airport.	X
South Africa	Admission refused (Temporary due COVID-19 issues)[248]		Admission refused due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in China.[249]	√
South Sudan	eVisa[250]		Obtainable online[251] Printed visa authorization must be presented at the time of travel[251] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Spain	Visa required[252]			√
Sri Lanka	Visa required[253]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Sudan	Visa required[254]			√
Suriname	Visa not required[255]	30 days	Visa liberalization agreement between China and Suriname was ratified on 1 May 2021.[256] COVID-19 entry restrictions still apply for foreign citizens entering Suriname.	√
Sweden	Visa required[257]			√
Switzerland	Visa required[258]			√
Syria	Visa required[259]			√
Tajikistan	eVisa[260]	45 days.[261]	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Tanzania	eVisa / Visa on arrival[262][263]	3 months		X
Thailand	eVisa / Visa on arrival[264]	15 days (VoA) 60 days (eVisa)	Beginning 27 September 2021, Chinese citizens visiting Thailand may apply for e-Visa online.[265][266]	X
Timor-Leste	Visa on arrival[267]	30 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Togo	Visa on arrival[268]	7 days	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Tonga	Visa not required[269]	30 days[270]		√
Trinidad and Tobago	Visa required[271]			√
Tunisia	Visa not required[272]	90 days[273]		X
Turkey	eVisa[274]	30 days.[275]	Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	X
Turkmenistan	Visa required[276]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Tuvalu	Visa on arrival[277]	1 month		X
Uganda	eVisa / Visa on arrival[278]		May apply online.[279]	X
Ukraine	eVisa[280]	30 days	Ukrainian authorities intend to sign reciprocal visa-free agreement with China in the next five years.[281]	√
United Arab Emirates	Visa not required[282]	30 days		√
United Kingdom and Crown dependencies	Visa required[283]		Visa not required if holding a valid Irish visa endorsed with BIVS. Entry permitted only if first point of entry to the Common Travel Area is in Ireland.[284]	√
United States	Visa required[285]		Chinese citizens who do receive a visa are normally issued "120-month multiple-entry combination B1/B2 visas."[286] Ten-year multiple-entry B visa holders must provide updates through the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) every two years.[287] Visa not required for Northern Mariana Islands.	√
Uruguay	Visa required[288]		National visa may be substituted with a valid visa issued by the United States, Canada or a European Union member state for stays up to 90 days when arriving via Montevideo airport or Montevideo and Colonia ports.[289][290] Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Uzbekistan	Visa not required[291]	10 days	Must arrive by air. Otherwise an electronic visa is available.[292]	X
Vanuatu	Visa not required[293]	30 days	Passengers must have a medical certificate proving they do not have COVID-19	X
Vatican City	Visa required[294]			√
Venezuela	Visa required[295]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32]	√
Vietnam	Admission refused (Temporary due COVID-19 issues)[296]		Holders of passports for public affairs do not require a visa.[32] Visa collection on arrival can be arranged online through travel agencies and are available at Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc airports. Due to SARS-CoV-2, Vietnamese government stops issuing the travel visa to the normal passport holders of Chinese citizens. The visa policy would be reviewed at mid-February 2020.	√
Yemen	Visa required[297]			√
Zambia	eVisa[298]			X
Zimbabwe	eVisa / Visa on arrival[299]	3 months		X

Dependent, disputed, or restricted territories[]

Unrecognized or partially recognized countries

Territory	Conditions of access	Notes
Abkhazia	Visa required[300]
Artsakh	Visa not required[301]	Travelers with Artsakh visa (expired or valid) or evidence of travel to Artsakh (stamps) will be permanently denied entry to Azerbaijan.[302]
Kosovo	Visa required[303]	Visa is not required for holders of a valid travel documents issued by EU Member and Schengen States, United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan based on the 1951 Convention on Refugee Status or the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, as well as holders of valid travel documents for foreigners (max. 15 days stay) [304] Do not need a visa a holder of a valid biometric residence permit issued by one of the Schengen member states or a valid multi-entry Schengen Visa, a holder of a valid Laissez-Passer issued by United Nations Organizations, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe or European Union a holder of a valid travel documents issued by EU Member and Schengen States, United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan based on the 1951 Convention on Refugee Status or the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, as well as holders of valid travel documents for foreigners (max. 15 days stay)[305]
Northern Cyprus	Visa not required[306]
Palestine	Visa not required[307]	Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[308]
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic		Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara controlled territory.
Somaliland	Visa on arrival	30 days for 30 US dollars, payable on arrival.[309][310]
South Ossetia	Visa not required[311][312]
Transnistria	Visa not required[313]	Registration required after 24h.[314][315]

Dependent and autonomous territories

Territory		Conditions of access	Notes
Denmark
Faroe Islands		Visa required[316]
Greenland		Visa required[316]
France
Clipperton Island		Special permit required[317]
French Guiana		Visa required[318]
French Polynesia		Conditional visa waiver[319]	15 days, need to travel with specific agencies
French West Indies
	Guadeloupe	Visa required[320]
	Martinique
	Saint Barthélemy
	Saint Martin
Mayotte		Visa required[321][320]
New Caledonia		Conditional visa waiver[322][323]	15 days, need to travel with specific agencies
Réunion		Conditional visa waiver[324][325]	15 days, need to travel with specific agencies
Saint Pierre and Miquelon		Visa required[326][320]
Wallis and Futuna		Visa required[327]
Netherlands
Aruba		Visa required[328]	Holders of a valid visa issued by a Canada, US or Schengen Member State (‘C’ or ‘D’ visa) do not require a visa for 90 days for each territory.
Caribbean Netherlands
	Bonaire	Visa required[329]
	Sint Eustatius
	Saba
Curaçao		Visa required[330]
Sint Maarten		Visa required[331]
New Zealand
Cook Islands		Visa not required[332]	31 days
Niue		Visa not required[333]	30 days
Tokelau		Permit required[334]
Norway
Jan Mayen		Permit required	Permit issued by the local police required for staying for less than 24 hours[335] and permit issued by the Norwegian police for staying for more than 24 hours.[336]
Svalbard		Visa not required	Unlimited period under Svalbard Treaty.[337]
United Kingdom
Akrotiri and Dhekelia		Visa required[338]
Anguilla		Visa required[339][340]	Visa not required with a valid visa or residence permit from the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom.
Bermuda		Visa required[341]	Holders of a multiple-entry visa issued by Canada, US or the UK is valid for at least 45 days beyond the period of intended stay in Bermuda do not require a visa for three months. Visa free for a maximum stay of three months if transiting through the United Kingdom.
British Indian Ocean Territory		Special permit required[342]
British Virgin Islands		Visa not required[343]	6 months for business and tourism purposes[344][345]
Cayman Islands		Visa required[346]	Visa free for cruise ship passengers leaving on the day of arrival.[347] Visa not required for 30 days for holders of a valid multiple-entry visa for the US, UK and/or Canada.[348]
Falkland Islands		Visa required[349]
Gibraltar		Visa required[350]	Holders of a valid visa issued by the United Kingdom do not require a visa. Visa not required if holding a Schengen multiple entry visa with a minimum remaining validity of 7 days or visiting on a day trip as part of an organised tour arranged through a Gibraltar-based tour operator.
Montserrat		eVisa[351]
Pitcairn Islands		Visa not required	14 days visa free and landing fee US$35 or tax of US$5 if not going ashore.[352][353][354]
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
	Saint Helena	eVisa[355][356]
	Ascension Island	Admission refused[357][358]	From May 2015 Ascension Island Government does not issue entry visas including eVisas to nationals of China.[359]
	Tristan da Cunha	Permission required	Permission to land required for 15/30 pounds sterling (yacht/ship passenger) for Tristan da Cunha Island or 20 pounds sterling for Gough Island, Inaccessible Island or Nightingale Islands.[360]
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands		Permit required	Pre-arrival permit from the Commissioner required (72 hours/1 month for 110/160 pounds sterling).[361][362]
Turks and Caicos Islands		Visa not required[363]	90 days[364]
United States
American Samoa		Entry permit required[365]
Guam		Visa required[366]
Northern Mariana Islands		Visa not required[367]	14 days
Puerto Rico		Visa required[368]
U.S. Virgin Islands		Visa required[369]
Antarctica and adjacent islands
Special permits required for  Bouvet Island,  British Antarctic Territory,  French Southern and Antarctic Lands,  Argentine Antarctica, Australian Antarctic Territory, Chilean Antarctic Territory, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Peter I Island, Queen Maud Land, Ross Dependency.[370][371][372][373][374][375][376][377][378][379][380][381]

Other Territories

•  Australia. Ashmore and Cartier Islands - Special authorisation required.^[382]
•  Colombia. San Andrés and Leticia - Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival.
• Crimea - Visa issued by Russia is required.^[383]
•  Ecuador. Galápagos - Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.^[384]
•  Eritrea outside Asmara - To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).^[385]
•  Fiji. Lau Province - Special permission required.^[386]
•  Greece Mount Athos - Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.^[387][388]
•  India. Prior approval from the MHA required for whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim and parts of states Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.^{[389][390][391][392]}
•  Iran. Kish Island - Visa not required.^[393]
•  Kazakhstan. Closed cities - Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.^[394]
•  Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak - Malaysian Visa/eNTRI required. These states have their own immigration authorities but same visa policies applies as West Malaysia. However a single entry Visa/eNTRI is valid for multiple entry/exit between the territories inside Malaysia.^[395]
•  Maldives outside Malé - Permission required. Tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.^[396]
•  North Korea outside Pyongyang - Special permit required. People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving).
•  Russia - Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.^[397]
•  Saudi Arabia Mecca and Medina - Special access required. Non-Muslims and those following the Ahmadiyya religious movement are strictly prohibited from entry.
•  Sudan. Darfur - Separate travel permit is required.^[398]
•  Sudan outside Khartoum - All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit.
•  Tajikistan. Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province - OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.^[399][400]
•  Turkmenistan. Closed cities - A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.^[401]
•  United States. Closed city of Mercury, Nevada, United States - Special authorization is required for entry into Mercury.
•  United States. United States Minor Outlying Islands - Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.^{[402][403][404][405][406][407][408]}
•  Venezuela. Margarita Island - Visa not required. All visitors are fingerprinted.^[409]
•  Vietnam. Phú Quốc - Visa not required for 30 days.^[410]
•  Yemen outside Sana’a or Aden - Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.^[411]
• UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus - Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas.^[412]
• Korean Demilitarized Zone - Restricted area.
• UNDOF Zone and Ghajar - Restricted area.

Non-ordinary passports[]

Visa requirements for Chinese citizens holding diplomatic or service passports, based solely on bilateral agreements.

  People's Republic of China

  Visa free access for holders of both diplomatic and service passports

  Visa free access for holders of diplomatic passports only

Holders of Chinese diplomatic or service passports have visa-free access to additional countries.

APEC Business Travel Card[]

  Full members of the scheme

  Transitional members (United States, Canada)

Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) travelling on business do not require a visa to the following countries:^[413]

_{1 – up to 90 days
2 – up to 60 days
3 – up to 59 days}

The card must be used in conjunction with a passport and has the following advantages:^[414]

• no need to apply for a visa or entry permit to APEC countries, as the card is treated as such (except by  Canada and  United States)
• undertake legitimate business in participating economies
• expedited border crossing in all member economies, including transitional members
• expedited scheduling of visa interview (US)
• The rule is not available among the CHN, HKG, TWN travellers on business.

Exit and Entry Permit[]

A sample of the personal info page of the Entry and Exit Permit for Border Tourism

In addition to passports, Exit and Entry Permit were issued to citizens of the People's Republic of China for visiting certain land neighboring countries for trade, tourism purposes without a passport, and visa to the country of visiting and vice versa under the bilateral agreements.^[415] Such permit is issued by the police stations in the related the boder administrative divisions. By far, travelers from the administrative divisions that share borders with North Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, India and Nepal could apply for the Exit-Entry Permit for crossing borders.^[416]

Non-visa restrictions[]

Blank passport pages[]

Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages to be available in the passport being presented, typically one or two pages.^[417] Endorsement pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being available.

Vaccination[]

An International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis is required to prove that someone has been vaccinated against yellow fever

Many African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Togo, require all incoming passengers older than nine months to one year^[418] to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, as does the South American territory of French Guiana.^[419]

Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area or has visited one recently or has transited for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.^[420][421]

An increasing number of countries have been imposing additional COVID-19 related health restrictions such as quarantine measures and testing requirements. Many countries increasingly consider the vaccination status of travellers with regard to quarantine requirements or when deciding to allow them entry at all.^[422] This is justified by research that shows that the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine lasts for six months or so.^[423]

Passport validity length[]

In the absence of specific bilateral agreements, countries requiring passports to be valid for at least 6 more months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Anguilla, Bahrain,^[424] Bhutan, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel,^[425] Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru.^[426] Philippines,^[427] Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Vietnam.^[428]

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia and Zambia.

Countries requiring passports with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the date of intended departure include Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Nauru, Moldova and New Zealand. Similarly, the EEA countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, all European Union countries (except the Republic of Ireland) together with Switzerland also require 3 months validity beyond the date of the bearer's intended departure unless the bearer is an EEA or Swiss national.

Countries requiring passports valid for at least 3 months on arrival include Albania, Honduras, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal.

Bermuda requires passports to be valid for at least 45 days upon entry.

Countries that require a passport validity of at least one month beyond the date of intended departure include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Macau, the Maldives^[429] and South Africa.

Other countries, such as Japan,^[430] Ireland and the United Kingdom,^[431] require a passport valid throughout the period of the intended stay.

A very few countries, such as Paraguay, just require a passport valid on arrival.

Some countries have bilateral agreements with other countries to shorten the period of passport validity required for each other's citizens^[432][433] or even accept passports that have already expired (but not been cancelled).^[434]

Criminal record[]

Some countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and the United States,^[435] routinely deny entry to non-citizens who have a criminal record while others impose restrictions depending on the type of conviction and the length of the sentence.

Persona non grata[]

The government of a country can declare a diplomat persona non grata, banning their entry into that country. In non-diplomatic use, the authorities of a country may also declare a foreigner persona non grata permanently or temporarily, usually because of unlawful activity.^[436]

Israeli stamps[]

Israeli border control Entry Permit (issued as a stand-alone document rather than a stamp affixed in a passport)

Kuwait,^[437] Lebanon,^[438] Libya,^[439] Syria,^[440] and Yemen^[441] do not allow entry to people with passport stamps from Israel or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa, or where there is evidence of previous travel to Israel such as entry or exit stamps from neighbouring border posts in transit countries such as Jordan and Egypt.

To circumvent this Arab League boycott of Israel, the Israeli immigration services have now mostly ceased to stamp foreign nationals' passports on either entry to or exit from Israel (unless the entry is for some work-related purposes). Since 15 January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport. Passports are still (as of 22 June 2017) stamped at Erez when passing into and out of Gaza.^{[citation needed]}

Iran refuses admission to holders of passports containing an Israeli visa or stamp that is less than 12 months old.

Armenian ethnicity[]

Entry Permit to Nagorno-Karabakh issued in Yerevan as a stand-alone document rather than a visa affixed in a passport

Due to a state of war existing between Armenia and Azerbaijan,^{[442][443][444]} Armenian citizens and other foreign nationals of Armenian descent are likely to encounter difficulties when attempting to enter the Republic of Azerbaijan.^{[445][446][447]}

Azerbaijan bans visits by foreign citizens to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh^[447] (the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh), its surrounding territories, and the Azerbaijani exclaves of Karki, Yuxarı Əskipara, Barxudarlı, and Sofulu which are de jure part of Azerbaijan but under the control of Armenia, without the prior consent of the government of Azerbaijan. Foreign citizens who enter these territories will be permanently banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan^[448] and will be included in their "list of personae non gratae".^[449] As of 2 September 2019, the list mentioned 852 people.

Biometrics[]

A fingerprint scanner at Dulles International Airport collects biometric data on visitors, which can be used for confirming identities.

Several countries mandate that all travellers, or all foreign travellers, be fingerprinted on arrival and will refuse admission to or even arrest travellers who refuse to comply. In some countries, such as the United States, this may apply even to transit passengers who merely wish to quickly change planes rather than go landside.^[450]

Fingerprinting countries include Afghanistan,^[451][452] Argentina,^[453] Brunei, Cambodia,^[454] China,^[455] Ethiopia,^[456] Ghana, Guinea,^[457] India, Japan,^[458][459] Kenya (both fingerprints and a photo are taken),^[460] Malaysia upon entry and departure ^[461], Mongolia, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia,^[462] Singapore, South Korea,^[463] Taiwan, Thailand,^[464] Uganda,^[465] the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Many countries also require a photo be taken of people entering the country. The United States, which does not fully implement exit control formalities at its land frontiers (although long mandated by domestic legislation),^{[466][467][468]} intends to implement facial recognition for passengers departing from international airports to identify people who overstay their visa.^[469]

Together with fingerprint and face recognition, iris scanning is one of three biometric identification technologies internationally standardised since 2006 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use in e-passports^[470] and the United Arab Emirates conducts iris scanning on visitors who need to apply for a visa.^[471][472] The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to greatly increase the biometric data it collects at US borders.^[473] In 2018, Singapore began trials of iris scanning at three land and maritime immigration checkpoints.^[474][475]

Foreign travel statistics[]

See also[]

• Visa policy of China
• Chinese passport
• Visa requirements for Chinese citizens of Hong Kong
• Visa requirements for Chinese citizens of Macau

References and Notes[]