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Do US citizens need a visa for China?

Yes, as a US citizen you need a visa to enter China for tourism purposes. Remember that if your main goal is to perform commercial and business activities, you might want to apply for a business visa instead.



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Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements. Entry & Exit: Obtain a visa prior to arrival in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and have a passport with at least six months' validity remaining. The lack of either will result in a fine and immediate deportation upon arrival.

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All travellers. British nationals need a visa to enter mainland China, including Hainan Island, but not Hong Kong or Macao.

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A foreign citizen can enter China without a visa under any one of the following circumstances:
  • 1) Direct Transit. ...
  • 2) Transit in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or Chengdu etc. ...
  • 3) Foreigners to visiting the Pearl River Delta or Hainan Island. ...
  • 4) Citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan.


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If you decide to travel to Mainland China: Enter the PRC on your U.S. passport with a valid PRC visa and keep it with you. Read the travel information page for Mainland China. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

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Starting from August 30, 2023, travelers heading to China will not have to undergo mandatory pre-entry COVID-19 nucleic acid tests or antigen tests. In March 2023, China announced that it had resumed issuing all types of visas, giving the official greenlight for foreign travelers and tourists to return to the country.

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The short answer is yes, you will most likely need a visa for China. Citizens of most countries do require a tourist visa to travel to China for any period of time, and most travellers receive a standard 30-day single-entry tourist visa for a trip to the mainland.

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If your visit meeting related visa-free transit or visa waiver regulations, you may enter and stay in Shanghai within limited area and duration for a certain period. Otherwise, you have to apply for a Chinese Tourist Visa (L Visa) ahead of depature to tour Shanghai.

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The new announcement lifts the travel ban for foreigners holding one of the three specified categories of residence permits. There are a total of five categories of residence permits: work, study, journalist, family reunification, and personal matters.

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Entry & Exit:
You must have a valid passport and an onward/return ticket for tourist/business visa free stays of up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for the entire time you are staying in Japan.

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Since March 15, 2023, the Chinese government has made further adjustments to the visa and entry policies, of which valid visas issued before March 28, 2020 have been resumed to use.

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Foreign citizens travelling to a third country or region through China by plane, ship or train may stay up to 24 hours in China without a visa. The application for a preliminary entry permit at the Chinese border is a requirement for the visa-free entry.

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