China Mutual Visa Exemption for Ordinary Passport Holders
Last reviewed: 27 July 2026. This country-by-country guide covers comprehensive mutual visa-exemption agreements that include ordinary passport holders entering China. It is separate from China’s unilateral 30-day visa-free policy, 240-hour visa-free transit and regional visa-free arrangements.
The current agreement list and passport categories were checked against the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ list updated 29 May 2026. Stay limits were checked against the National Immigration Administration’s agreement details and, for agreements that entered into force later, the relevant official MFA or Chinese embassy announcement.
Country and permitted stay table
| Country | Relevant travel document | Visa-free stay in China | Agreement status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Ordinary passport | Maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 18 March 2023 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 11 May 2024 |
| Armenia | Ordinary passport | Maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 19 January 2020 |
| Azerbaijan | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 16 July 2025 |
| Bahamas | Valid passport, including ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 12 February 2014 |
| Barbados | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 1 June 2017 |
| Belarus | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; no more than 90 days per calendar year | Effective 10 August 2018 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Ordinary passport | Maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 29 May 2018 |
| Dominica | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 19 September 2022 |
| Ecuador | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | See current-policy note below |
| Fiji | Valid passport, including ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 14 March 2015 |
| Georgia | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 28 May 2024 |
| Grenada | Valid passport, including ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 10 June 2015 |
| Kazakhstan | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 10 November 2023 |
| Malaysia | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 17 July 2025 |
| Maldives | Ordinary passport and other documents specified by the agreement | Up to 30 days | Effective 20 May 2022 |
| Mauritius | Valid passport, including ordinary passport | Up to 60 days | Amended agreement effective 14 June 2017 |
| Qatar | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 21 December 2018 |
| Samoa | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 2 April 2025 |
| San Marino | Valid passport, including ordinary passport | Within 3 months | Effective 22 July 1985 |
| Serbia | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 15 January 2017 |
| Seychelles | Valid passport, including ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 26 June 2013 |
| Singapore | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 9 February 2024 |
| Solomon Islands | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 28 December 2024 |
| Suriname | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 1 May 2021 |
| Thailand | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 1 March 2024 |
| Tonga | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 19 August 2016 |
| United Arab Emirates | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days | Effective 16 January 2018 |
| Uzbekistan | Ordinary passport | Up to 30 days per entry; maximum 90 days within any 180-day period | Effective 1 June 2025 |
Important interpretation notes
- 30 days per entry and 90 days within 180 days are different limits. Where both apply, a traveller must satisfy both.
- “Maximum 90 days within any 180-day period” is a rolling cumulative limit. It does not automatically mean that every visit can last 90 days if days have already been used.
- Belarus uses a different cumulative rule: up to 30 days per entry and no more than 90 days in a calendar year, according to the NIA agreement table.
- Mauritius currently has a 60-day limit under the amended agreement shown in the NIA table.
- San Marino is recorded as “within 3 months” in the NIA table.
- Ecuador requires special caution: the current MFA agreement list retains the ordinary-passport agreement but notes that Chinese ordinary-passport holders currently need to obtain visas for Ecuador. Ecuadorian travellers should confirm China-entry treatment directly with the Chinese embassy before booking.
Purposes outside a short visa-free visit
Visa exemption does not authorize employment, long-term study, residence, journalism or other activities requiring prior approval. Travellers who need to stay longer than the agreement permits, or undertake a regulated activity, should obtain the appropriate visa before travel.
Official sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption, updated 29 May 2026
- National Immigration Administration: Details of Mutual Visa Exemption Agreements
- MFA country guidance: China–Azerbaijan ordinary-passport agreement
- MFA country guidance: China–Malaysia ordinary-passport agreement
- Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan: China–Uzbekistan visa-exemption agreement
Agreements and implementation can change. Confirm the rule for your passport and travel dates with the National Immigration Administration and the relevant Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. Border authorities make the final admission decision.
For unilateral visa-free countries, 240-hour transit and regional policies, continue to our China Entry and Arrival Checklist.