Do I need to obtain a tour visa to travel in China? What needs to be prepared？

The circumstances allowing for visa-free entry China for tourism (valid until 2026)

1.Unilateral visa exemption (50 countries, stay ≤ 30 days)：

• Europe (32 countries): France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia；
• Asia (4 countries): Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain；
  The Americas (6 countries): Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay；
  Oceania (2 countries): New Zealand, Australia；
• Russia: Visa-free until 2026-09-14；
• Brunei: Visa-free with no time limit

2.240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit (for 55 countries. Based on the unilateral visa-free policy of 50 countries, extended to an additional 5 countries (as of 2026-03-12)

• Asia: Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia;
• America: Mexico;
• With a valid passport and a connecting flight ticket, traveling from China to a third country/region via transit, you can enter through 65 ports in China, stay for no more than 10 days, can travel across provinces.

3.24-hour visa-free transit (applicable worldwide)

• Those holding connecting flight tickets and staying in China for no more than 24 hours without leaving the designated area of the port can enjoy visa-free entry.

The circumstances requiring a tourist visa (L visa)

• Foreigners who are not from the visa-exempt countries/regions mentioned above and come to China for tourism must apply for an L-type tourist visa in advance.
• Stay for more than 30 days or engage in non-travel activities (such as working, studying, or long-term business), you must obtain the corresponding visa.
• If you need to extend your stay after obtaining visa-free entry, you must apply to the immigration authorities.

Key Points for Applying for L-Type Tourist Visa

• Application materials: Passport with validity of ≥ 6 months, Visa application form + photo, Round-trip air ticket + Hotel reservation, Financial proof, etc;
• Application channels: Chinese embassies and consulates abroad or visa application centers
• Stay period: Generally, a single entry allows for a stay of 30 days, and an extension can be applied for.