“China’s Unilateral Visa-Free Countries” – if you happen to hold one of the passports, this ticket can land you in China for 30 days at zero cost before December 31, 2026, without having to go to the Consulate in advance and without visa fees. Any self-service channels in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou will allow you to “brush face” to pass. Below, I’ll take the complete list released by the State Administration of Immigration on November 5th and show it to you. Then I’ll attach the entry details, the list of bunkers, and four 0-1 play methods. I think that people who travel, study, and work remotely in China can directly copy these operations.
1. Who Got the PASS of “China’s Unilateral Visa-Free Countries”?
As of November 5, 2025, the official website of the State Immigration Administration has listed the following 47 countries (NIA, 2025):
1.1 Europe (34 Countries)
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden
1.2 Asia (7 Countries)
Brunei, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain
1.3 South America (5 Countries)
Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay
One-sentence core rule: with an ordinary passport, the purpose of entry is for business/tourism/family visits/exchanges/transit, and the stay period is no longer than 30 days. Entry is calculated from the next day, and extensions or transfers within the territory are not permitted. If you want to stay longer, you need to apply for another visa.
2. What Does It Mean to Extend China’s Unilateral Visa-Free Countries to the End of 2026?
In 2024, 3.39 million people entered China through the single free channel, an increase of 67% over the previous year (China Reform, 2024). This time, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain were included, and the validity period was extended until 24:00 on December 31, 2026 (Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2025). In short, Beijing has given you a stable window of 18 months—enough time to complete summer language classes, supply chain inspections, and digital nomad housing.
3. After 30 Days of Entry, How to Pass the Silk Road?
- The passport must be valid for more than 6 months and have a blank page; entering with an old passport alongside a new one will be regarded as a first entry, and the accumulated stay will not be merged.
- Return or third-country air tickets and hotel reservations should be accessible on mobile phones. The chance of immigration officers sampling is low, but preparation can reduce dialogue costs.
- Choose hotels that can accommodate overseas personnel; otherwise, you will be asked to provide additional information upon arrival. Ensure “allow foreigners to stay” is checked in Booking.
- Prioritise self-service channels. The three major airports—Beijing Capital, Pudong, and Baiyun—support face recognition, with an average processing time of 15 seconds per person and no long lines.
In other words, tourists from China’s one-sided visa-free countries want to avoid “small black houses.” With complete documentation, advanced hotel bookings, and the use of self-service channels, the customs clearance experience is no different from that in the European Union’s Schengen area.
4. 30 Days: 4 Actual Measurement Routes
The routes are split according to “rhythm/budget/purpose” and can be directly copied.
4.1 Route A: China Essentials Express (Classic Version)
Recommended Group: first-time visitors to China who want to visit 7 cities
Cities: Beijing 4N → Xi’an 2N → Chengdu 4N → Chongqing 2N → Zhangjiajie 3N → Shanghai 5N → Suzhou 2N → Hangzhou 3N → Shanghai exit
Highlights: the Great Wall + Terracotta Army + panda + 8D Magic City + Afanda scenic spot + parcel post area G-Series High-Speed Train day trip. Transportation consists of high-speed rail second-class seats purchased directly with your passport via the 12306 app, which is 40% cheaper than Eurail Pass tickets.
4.2 Route B: Digital Nomad Slow Life
Recommended Group: remote workers, coders, video editors
Base: Dali Old City → Shaxi Ancient Town → Kunming Cuihu → Guilin Yangshuo
Living Cost Reference: the monthly rent for a three-bedroom apartment by Erhai Lake is 3,500 yuan, with 300Mbps optical fiber internet and 50 yuan/day joint office space. The key is stable weather, and the average price of coffee is $3, making freelancers from Argentina refer to it as “Buenos Aires by Kunming Lake.”
4.3 Route C: Supply Chain 8-City Assault (Hardware Entrepreneurship Version)
Suitable for: start-up hardware teams from South America and Europe
Moving Line: Shenzhen Huaqiangbei → Dongguan Songshan Lake → Guangzhou Panyu → Yiwu Trade City → Hangzhou Live Base → Shanghai Pudong → Suzhou Industrial Park → Qingdao Jimo
Objective: 30 days to prototype PCB → 3D printing of handboards → small batch packaging → live test products → export logistics. After this journey, you can directly return to your home country to launch crowdfunding and showcase “China speed” on Kickstarter.
4.4 Route D: Snow Mountain Rainforest Cross-Country + Rehabilitation
Recommended Group: those wanting to film + engage in outdoor sports + receive Traditional Chinese Medicine physiotherapy
Route: Kunming → Xishuangbanna tropical rainforest → Lijiang snow mountain hiking → Tengchong volcano hot springs → Chengdu Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital for acupuncture
According to actual measurements, Argentine backpackers gathered 3 million YouTube views by filming their journeys, while also healing an old knee injury; physical therapy and accommodation cost only $350 a week.
5. The 5 Most Frequently Asked Questions for Entry
- Can we fly to Hong Kong to refresh after 30 days? No way. The system records your entry intervals; a round trip within 48 hours will trigger manual review or even require you to return.
- Can we sign up for free multiple times? Policy allows it, but the intervals must be reasonable—it’s recommended to stay away for more than 30 days after your departure or handle the M/X/Z visa transition in advance.
- What if you want to exceed 30 days? Before the 25th day, submit documents to the Chinese Embassy and consulates in Hong Kong/Seoul/Tokyo; the fastest processing time for an X2 student visa or M trade visa signature is 4 working days.
- What payment methods should you choose? Binding Alipay/WeChat with an overseas credit card allows you to scan and pay directly; to access the subway, set up an NFC virtual transport card, which is five times faster than queuing for tickets.
- Can’t access Google or Instagram? A compliant VPN must be installed in advance, but it can’t be found in domestic stores. Download the APK from the official website and install it on Android, or install the description file via TestFlight for iOS.
In other words, as long as you prepare these little moves before you leave, it’s easier to visit China with a “China’s unilateral visa-free country” passport than to navigate Schengen.
6. Is the Future 48 or 50 China’s Unilateral Visa-Free Countries?
According to the immigration administration, countries like the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Colombia, and Ecuador are also under negotiation. There’s no pressure regarding the addition of 5-8 countries in the 2025-2026 list. For Chinese nationals, it brings in flows of inbound consumption, education, and entrepreneurship ahead of time. For ordinary people in South America and Europe, the dividend period is now—experience the “Chinese story” at minimal cost, and then decide whether to move to the next chapter of life to the East.
So, don’t ask “what is enough for 30 days.” The right question is: if a ticket can grant entry into the world’s second-largest consumer market with zero friction for $500, when are you going to leave?
More China visa topic: Visa
References
NIA. (2,025, November 5). List of unilateral visa-free countries, National Immigration Administration https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1731154/content.html
Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2,025, November 3). Notice on the extension of the unilateral visa-free policy, China’s consular service network https://cs.mfa.gov.cn/lgk1/202511/t20251103_11746081.shtml
China Reform. (2,025, June 1)! China’s unilateral visa-free “circle of friends” increased by 5 countries http://www.chinareform.org.cn/2025/0601/42375.shtml
