As of November 2026, the number of countries and territories to which China ' s ordinary passport holders could be exempted from visa clearance had been quite extensive.
Today, in the light of current policy messages, China ' s common passport will be released from the list of countries and territories to which it can be used for information purposes.
I. Bilateral visa exemption: both parties grant waivers
The bilateral exemption of ordinary passport visas is based on the conclusion of agreements between China and the other country, in which eligible ordinary passport holders may enter the country without a visa.
The relative stability of such waivers is also one of the most noteworthy categories of travel abroad.
Currently, the countries concerned are mainly in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania.
Asia:
United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia.
Europe:
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Albania, San Marino.
In particular, San Marino does not have its own international airport, which usually requires entry through Italy, so that the requirements for entry into Italy and the Schengen area are taken into account when actually travelling.
Africa:
Mauritius, Seychelles.
Americas:
Bahamas, Barbados, Suriname, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada.
Oceania:
Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands.
The duration of the exempted stay in such a State is not identical and generally needs to be confirmed on the basis of specific bilateral agreements, which cannot simply be understood as 30 days for all States.
Unilateral waivers: Chinese passports may go, but not for the other side.
In addition to bilateral exemptions, there is a very interesting category of destination: the other country unilaterally allows Chinese citizens to be exempted from entry.
In short, the other party offered Chinese tourists a visa exemption, but China did not necessarily grant the same exemption to its citizens.
Asia region
Turkey: Since January 2026, ordinary Chinese passport holders have been exempt from entry visas.
Iran: A unilateral visa-free policy for Chinese citizens has been in place since July 2019.
Oman: Since December 2020, qualified Chinese citizens have been allowed to enter the country without a visa for a period not exceeding 14 days.
Sri Lanka: The relevant visa-free arrangement was introduced in October 2024, requiring the registration of ETA electronic travel authorizations for entry into the country; the ETA free policy for Chinese tourists was implemented in May 2026.
Brunei Darussalam: Chinese citizens have been granted visa-free entry since March 2025.
Chinese tourists can travel to Jeju without a visa for up to 30 days.
Rich Islands of Viet Nam: Chinese tourists may stay for up to 30 days without a visa, but only on the islands of rich countries, and travel to other parts of Viet Nam requires a corresponding visa.
Viet Nam Qing Dynasty: In October 2026 to the end of 2027, a phased waiver was introduced, which allowed Chinese tourists to stay free for up to 30 days under prescribed conditions, but not directly to other parts of Viet Nam.
2. African region
Morocco, Mozambique, Angola, Benin, Tunisia, Zambia, Kenya.
Of these, several require special attention:
- Morocco: A visa-free policy for Chinese citizens has been in place since June 2016.
- Mozambique: Unilateral waivers introduced in April 2023 and ETA electronic travel authorization registration requirements added in May 2025.
- Angola: A visa-free policy for Chinese citizens has been in place since September 2023.
- Benin: Chinese citizens have been granted visa-free entry since September 2023.
- Tunisia: A visa-free policy was introduced in October 2023.
- Zambia: relevant waivers effective January 2024.
- Kenya: A visa-free policy for Chinese tourists has been in place since January 2024, but an advance request for an ETA e-travel authorization is required.
It needs to be noted that a waiver does not amount to a complete non-requirement. Countries such as Kenya and Mozambique still need to complete the corresponding electronic authorization process before departure.
3. Americas
Jamaica, Haiti, British Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, British Virgin Islands, Cuba.
Specific policies include:
- Jamaica: Chinese citizens have been granted visa-free entry since April 2014.
- Haiti: Ban on visas, with effect from July 2012, restricted to entry from Port-au-Prince International Airport.
- Turks and Caicos Islands: Chinese citizens have been granted a visa exemption since July 2014.
- Saint Kitts and Nevis: A unilateral waiver was introduced in early 2017 and the ETA electronic travel authorization registration requirement was added in September 2025.
- Saint Lucia: A visa-free policy has been in place since June 2018.
- British Virgin Islands: Chinese citizens have been granted visa-free entry since July 2018.
- Cuba: The relevant visa-free policy was implemented in May 2024.
In addition, Uruguay has announced the launch of a visa-free arrangement for Chinese citizens, but to date the relevant policy has not yet been formally set aside and it is not recommended that the trip be planned directly under the exempt State.
Oceania
Cook Islands, Niue, Micronesia (Federated States of), Kiribati.
These destinations also provide a visa-free access facility for ordinary Chinese passport holders and are of interest to friends who plan to travel to the South Pacific region.
Temporary waiver: time limit
In addition to the long-standing visa-free policy, a number of countries have introduced phased, pilot-based waivers.
Such policies often have a clear starting and ending date, and once they have expired and no extension has been announced, entry cannot continue under the original visa-free conditions.
There are currently three countries of concern.
Philippines - piloting
- Policy period: 16 January 2026-15 January 2027
- Free stay: maximum 14 days
- Entry restrictions: entry to Manila, Cebu Airport only
Brazil - piloting
- Policy period: 11 May 2026-31 December 2026
- Accumulative stay during the year of waiver: not more than 30 days
- Friends who were scheduled to travel in 2027 needed attention to whether to postpone.
Russia - piloting
- Policy period: 1 December 2025-31 December 2027
- Free stay: up to 30 days
- They belong to a reciprocal waiver arrangement.
Russian policy is more specific: although it is a phased one, it is a reciprocal waiver between the two sides, while the proposal for a permanent waiver is being discussed.
📌 📌 ! ! ! ! ! ! Friends with personal experience are welcome to address the latest policy requirements.
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