Visa Requirements for Chinese Citizens
Visa requirements for Chinese nationals are the current rules and regulations that apply to all citizens of the People's Republic of China when traveling abroad.
Current visa requirements for various destinations require Chinese nationals to obtain regular visas issued by embassies to visit 102 countries, and obtain e-visas online to visit 38 countries. 40 countries allow you to obtain a visa on arrival as well as a welcome visa.
- Free when visiting 32 countries.
The easiest way to travel is to travel without a visa. However, only 32 countries offer such an option to Chinese passport holders. The second easiest option is to apply for an e-visa online. This can easily be done a few days before your travel plans and you will receive a compiled document to your email address.
The most difficult visa to obtain is an embassy-issued visa. This typically requires numerous attachments and a lengthy in-person application process at the embassy. On the other hand, a visa on arrival is considered easy to obtain. However, this usually involves waiting in long lines, making pre-departure preparations, and the stress of not being able to obtain a visa until the last minute. Detailed information on individual entry types and visas, list of countries and other requirements for Chinese passport holders can be found below.
Electronic visa
An e-visa is a short-term travel authorization document issued by a foreign government that is issued entirely online, eliminating the need for an embassy visit.
eVisa was introduced to speed up the visa application process and pre-screen incoming travelers before entering the country.
List of countries offering eVisas for Chinese citizens
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Cambodia
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Georgia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Ivory Coast
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Moldova
- Myanmar
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- South Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Thirty-eight countries allow Chinese passport holders to apply for a visa online a few days before their scheduled departure. This solution helps Chinese nationals obtain the necessary travel authorization documents quickly and easily.
Typically, all you need to apply is a working device (laptop, phone, PC, tablet, etc.), an internet connection, a valid email address, a valid passport, and access to an online platform. A payment method is required. The application process itself takes only a few minutes, can be done anytime and anywhere, and processing times typically do not exceed 72 hours.
The approved document will be sent directly to the applicant’s email address in the form of a PDF file and can be easily printed. From this point on, an approved e-visa allows its holder to travel abroad for short periods of time, typically 30, 60, or 90 days.
Different versions of electronic documents may exist. However, in most cases it is suitable for leisure, business or transit trips such as:
To go on vacation,
When conducting business or professional work overseas, meeting friends and family, contract negotiations, participation in public events, trade fairs, seminars and conferences; A stopover on the way to your final destination.
Visa on Arrival
A visa on arrival is a short-term travel authorization document that Chinese passport holders can obtain upon arrival at their chosen destination.
Chinese nationals wishing to travel on VoA must complete a visa application at one of the border crossings upon arrival.
List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival option for Chinese citizens
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- The Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
Chinese passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival to enter 40 countries without having to obtain a visa before their scheduled departure. Even if you can skip the actual visa application process until you arrive, it doesn’t completely eliminate the need for pre-departure preparation.
Chinese nationals wishing to obtain a visa on arrival should first check whether there are any supporting documents they need to collect before departing to their chosen destination. Evidence may include a confirmation of your hotel reservation, proof of sufficient funds for your stay, or a copy of your round-trip ticket.
With a valid passport and all necessary attachments, a Chinese national can travel to the country she wishes to visit, where she can apply for a VoA.
Upon arrival, travelers must immediately go to the nearest border crossing and have a VoA application filled out there. Completed documents must be submitted to the border checkpoint, with additional steps if necessary.
Further steps may include payment of visa issuance fees (which may need to be paid in cash and local currency) and further confirmation of the purpose of your visit.
An approved VoA allows the owner to travel abroad for short-term stays, typically 30, 60, or 90 days, for leisure, business, or transit purposes.
Embassy visa
An embassy visa is a traditional type of visa issued after completing the application process at the embassy or consulate of the country you wish to visit.
There are different types of regular visas and they can be issued for both short-term and long-term stays, including those related to work, study, or dating a significant other abroad.
List of countries that require Chinese citizens to present a valid Embassy visa upon arrival
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Canada
- The Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- Colombia
- The Republic of the Congo
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- The Czech Republic
- Denmark
- The Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Finland
- France
- Gambia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hong Kong (two-way permit)
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Latvia
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau (two-way permit)
- Mali
- Malta
- The Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- The Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- The Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- The Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan (exit and entry permit)
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkmenistan
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Yemen
Currently, 102 countries require Chinese passport holders to submit a personal application for an embassy-issued visa before arrival. The actual process of applying for an embassy-issued visa depends on the type of visa you choose. The main difference is in the list of documents collected and the processing time.
However, despite these differences, most embassy visa application processes involve travelers gathering the necessary attachments, filling out an application form (available on the government’s official website), and submitting complete documents to the ambassador.
You need to submit it to the museum, pay the issuance fee, and wait until the visa application is completed.
Approved.
Some countries may require additional steps, such as a visa interview at an embassy. If you are applying for an embassy visa, we recommend starting the application process at least a few weeks before you plan to depart, and checking the maximum processing time to receive approved documents before you travel.
Visa-free countries
There are currently 32 countries that welcome Chinese nationals without a visa, completely eliminating the need to apply for any kind of visa before planning a trip. This is the easiest way to travel abroad as it requires the least amount of paperwork to process.
Check out the list of visa-free countries for Chinese nationals. To travel to the visa-free country, Chinese citizens only need to bring a valid passport or ID card (depending on the destination). Usually no other documents are required. However, some countries may require some supporting documentation to prove your reason for travel. Supporting documents include hotel reservations, proof of sufficient funds for travel, and round-trip air tickets.
Visa-free travel is most often used for short periods of time (usually 30, 60, or 90 days). Stopped in during a transit trip.
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- Grenada
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Morocco
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Suriname
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Artsakh
- Northern Cyprus
- Palestine
- South Ossetia
- Transnistria
- Cook Islands
- Niue
- British Virgin Islands
- Pitcairn Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Svalbard
