China Entry Requirements: Visa-Free Rules & Entry Steps for Australia

If you plan to travel to China, then China entry requirements are something you must understand and prepare for. Whether it's the requirements for travelers or students, this blog will tell you everything, you must read it before you go to China!

Last updated: 9 November 2026 — includes the 15 September 2026 entry-exit rules (State Council Decree No. 841).

Short answer: Australian passport holders do not need a visa for tourism, business, family visits or transit of up to 30 days, and the policy runs until 31 December 2026. You need an ordinary passport, a completed arrival card and proof of where you are staying. Study and work are not covered, and anything longer than 30 days needs a visa arranged before you fly.

China Entry Requirements for Australians

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Do Australians need a Visa for China?

No, for short visits!​ Australian passport holders can now enjoy visa-free travel to China for stays of up to 30 days. This policy took effect on November 30, 2024, and is valid until December 31, 2026.

Key Details of the Visa-Free Policy:

• Permitted Activities:​ This policy covers tourism, business trips, visiting family or friends, and transiting through China.
• Length of Stay:​ The allowed stay is a maximum of 30 days. This period is calculated from your entry date until 24:00 on the 30th natural day.
• Points of Entry:​ The visa-free entry is valid at all air, land, and sea ports that are open to foreigners, unless specific laws or bilateral agreements state otherwise.

When is a Visa Still Required?

You will need to apply for a visa beforehand if:

• You plan to stay in China for more than 30 days.
• Your travel purpose does not fall under the permitted activities (e.g., work, study).
• You do not meet the other visa-free conditions.
• You hold a passport other than an ordinary Australian passport — emergency, temporary and official documents do not qualify for visa-free entry.

China Entry Requirements—Visa & Documents

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Required Documents

• Passport (valid for your whole stay — 6 months' validity and 2 blank pages are recommended)
• Valid Chinese visa (unless visa-exempt)
• Accommodation proof (hotel booking/invitation letter)
• Round-trip or onward flight itinerary

By Travel Purpose

• Tourism: Detailed travel itinerary
• Business: Invitation letter from Chinese company (with official seal)
• Work: Work permit + employment contract
• Family visit: Invitation letter + proof of relationship

Step-by-Step Guide for Entering China

This is the order to expect at any Chinese airport. One thing you no longer need: the inbound health declaration (the “Customs Pocket Declaration” QR code on WeChat) was scrapped on 1 November 2023, and only travellers with a fever or other symptoms have to report to customs on arrival.

Step 1: Fill Out the Arrival Card

Option A: Paper form (available on plane/at immigration)

Option B: Digital form

The arrival card is free, and there are four official ways to fill it in before you reach the desk:

1. Visit the official website: https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/
2. Use the "Immigration Bureau 12367" APP
3. Search for "Immigration Bureau 12367" on WeChat (Alipay) mini-programs
4. Scan the official QR code to fill out the form

Travellers who cannot fill the form in before departure can use the QR codes and smart devices at the port of entry, or simply complete the paper Foreigner Arrival Card on the plane or at immigration.

Foreigners Exempt from Filling out the China E-Arrival Card

The following seven categories of foreigners are not required to complete the China arrival card, online or on paper:

• Holders of a Permanent Resident Identity Card​ of the People's Republic of China.
• Holders of a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents​ (applicable to non-Chinese citizens).
• Holders of a group visa​ or those who meet the criteria for group visa-free​ entry.
• Travelers in 24-hour direct transit​ who do not leave the designated port area.
• Cruise ship passengers who enter and exit on the same voyage.
• Travelers entering through the fast track​ channel.
• Foreign crew members working on inbound and outbound transportation vehicles.

Need the detail? Our China arrival card guide walks through every field, the 12367 app and the seven exemptions.

Step 2: Fingerprint Registration (if required)

Who needs it:

• First-time visitors to China

Who's exempt:

• Children under 14/seniors over 70
• Diplomatic passport holders
• Those physically unable to provide fingerprints

Step 3: Passport Control

1. Join "Foreigner" queue
2. Present: passport, visa (if required) and a completed arrival card
3. Answer brief questions about visit purpose

Step 4: Baggage Claim & Customs

1. Check screens for your flight's baggage carousel
2. Green Channel: Nothing to declare
3. Red Channel: Items to declare (cash >¥20,000, etc.)

After You Arrive in China

Clearing immigration is only half of it. These are the rules that catch visitors out in the first 48 hours — and on the way out. Since 15 September 2026, State Council Decree No. 841 lets border officers ask for supporting evidence, from booking records to invitation letters, and false information can earn a 1–5 year entry ban.

Register your address within 24 hours

Hotels register you automatically when you check in. If you stay with friends, in an apartment or a homestay, you or your host must register at the local police station (派出所) within 24 hours — and again each time you re-enter China or move. Keep the registration slip: you need it for a residence permit, a local SIM or a bank account.

Your 30-day stay cannot be extended

Visa-free entry cannot be extended for ordinary travel. If something outside your control — hospital treatment, a cancelled flight, a natural disaster — stops you leaving in time, apply to the local exit-entry administration for a stay permit before your 30 days run out, with evidence. Staying longer by choice means leaving the mainland and re-entering, or applying for a visa in advance.

Overstaying is expensive

Overstaying is charged at RMB 500 per day, capped at RMB 10,000, or 5–15 days of detention. Being repatriated also brings a 1–5 year ban on re-entering China; deportation brings 10 years.

What you can bring through customs

Visitors can bring personal effects worth up to RMB 2,000 duty-free, plus 1.5 litres of alcohol and 400 cigarettes. Declare cash above RMB 20,000 or the equivalent of USD 5,000, and check the restricted list before you pack — fresh food, meat and dairy products are either banned or need a permit. The full list is in our China customs prohibited items guide.

Numbers worth saving

110 for police, 120 for an ambulance, 119 for fire. The Chinese Embassy in Canberra and the consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth handle consular help, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular hotline is 12308.

China Entry Requirements for Students

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Study is not covered by the 30-day visa-free policy, so students always need an X1 or X2 visa. The route below is the standard student visa process — start early, because the school documents take the longest.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

• You must have: ​​Admission Notice​​ from a Chinese educational institution and ​​Visa Application for Study in China (JW201 or JW202 form)​​.

X1 is for courses longer than 180 days and has to be converted into a residence permit after arrival; X2 covers 180 days or less and is used as issued.

Step 2: Prepare Required Documents

Submit ​​all documents in A4 size​​ in this order:

Step 3: Submit Application

1. ​​Online Application​​:
2. • Complete the form at China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC).
   • Upload documents and await preliminary approval.
2. ​​In-Person Submission​​:
3. • Visit the designated CVASC with printed materials.
   • ​​Fingerprint Collection​​: Mandatory for applicants aged 14–70 (exemptions apply, e.g., diplomatic passport holders).
3. ​​Pay Fees​​:
4. • Visa fee + service fee (express service available at extra cost).

Step 4: Collect Visa

• Return to CVASC with the ​​pickup slip​​ to collect your passport with the X1 visa.
• ​​Processing Time​​: Typically 4–5 business days (longer if documents are incomplete).
• X1 holders: apply for a residence permit at the local exit-entry administration within 30 days of arrival, with your JW201/JW202, admission notice, health check and accommodation registration.

China Entry Requirements for Transit

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A transit visa permits travelers to pass through an open or designated port of a country for a limited time en route to a third country. To be eligible, travelers must first possess a valid visa or entry permit for their final destination—unless that country offers visa-free entry.

I. Eligibility for China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Australia is one of the 57 countries covered by China's 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy. You can transit without a visa if you meet all three conditions:

• You hold a passport from one of the 57 eligible countries (Australia and New Zealand are both on the list).
• You hold a confirmed onward ticket with a booked seat to a third country or region — Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count — departing within 240 hours of arrival.
• You enter and leave through a designated port in the 24 provincial-level regions covered by the scheme, and stay inside the permitted area.

II. If Not Eligible: How to Apply for a G-Type (Transit) Visa

Step 1: Complete the Online Application

• Fill out the visa application form on the official Chinese Visa Application Service Center website.
• Print and keep the Confirmation Page​ and the completed Visa Application Form.

Step 2: Gather Required Documents

Step 3: Submit Your Application

• Submit materials in person​ at the Chinese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your location.
• Fingerprint collection is mandatory for applicants aged 14 to 70, with limited exemptions.

Where to Stay in China

Where you stay changes the trip. Beijing works best around Wangfujing and the Forbidden City, Shanghai around the Bund and People's Square, and Chengdu near Chunxi Road. Business travellers tend to prefer the CBD, families do better within a short walk of a metro line, and every hotel below accepts foreign passports and completes your registration at check-in. Prices spike during Chinese New Year and the October Golden Week, so book early.