Visa requirements for Chinese citizens



Visa requirements for Chinese citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of China residing in the Mainland by the authorities of other states.

As of 2024, Chinese citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 90 countries and territories, ranking the Chinese passport 60th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.

Historical perspective
Before February 2014, Chinese immigration authorities did not generally allow mainland Chinese citizens to board outbound flights without having a valid visa for the destination country, even if the destination country did not require a visa, or granted a visa on arrival to Chinese passport holders, unless the exit was approved by the Ministry of Public Security.

Exceptions were possible if the traveller had a third country's visa and a connecting flight from the initial destination country to the third country. if the destination is a visa-on-arrival or e-visa issuing country this approval is no longer needed.

Visa requirements for Chinese citizens were lifted by:

Visas on arrival were introduced by:

Chinese citizens were made eligible for eVisas by:

Visa requirements map
[[File:Visa Requirements for Chinese Citizens.svg|800px|none|thumb|Visa requirements map for Chinese citizens with an ordinary Chinese passport {{legend|#002377|Mainland China}} {{legend|#FFD000|May enter with Entry–Exit Permit for Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR}}

{{legend|#22B14C|Visa not required}} {{legend|#79D343|Visa available both on arrival or online}} {{legend|#B5E61D|Visa on arrival}} {{legend|#61C7A1|eVisa}}

{{legend|#C0C0C0|Visa required in advance}} {{legend|#919191|Visa highly possibly refused}} {{legend|#555555|Tourism admission restricted}} ]]

Dependent, disputed, or restricted territories

 * Unrecognized or partially recognized countries


 * Dependent and autonomous territories


 * Other Territories
 * 🇦🇺 Australia. Ashmore and Cartier Islands - Special authorisation required.
 * 🇨🇴 Colombia. San Andrés and Leticia - Visitors arriving at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport and Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport must buy tourist cards on arrival.
 * Crimea - Visa issued by Russia is required.
 * 🇪🇨 Ecuador. Bandera Província Galápagos.svg Galápagos - Online pre-registration is required. Transit Control Card must also be obtained at the airport prior to departure.
 * 🇪🇷 Eritrea outside Asmara - To travel in the rest of the country, a Travel Permit for Foreigners is required (20 Eritrean nakfa).
 * 🇫🇯 Fiji. Lau Province - Special permission required.
 * 🇬🇷 Flag of the Greek Orthodox Church.svg Mount Athos - Special permit required (4 days: 25 euro for Orthodox visitors, 35 euro for non-Orthodox visitors, 18 euro for students). There is a visitors' quota: maximum 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox per day and women are not allowed.
 * 🇮🇳 India. Prior approval from the MHA required for whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim and parts of states Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh. Restricted Area Permit (RAP) required for all of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Some of these requirements are occasionally lifted for a year.
 * 🇮🇷 Iran. Kish Island - Visa not required.
 * 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan. Closed cities - Special permission required for the town of Baikonur and surrounding areas in Kyzylorda Oblast, and the town of Gvardeyskiy near Almaty.
 * Kurdistan Region. You can apply for an e-Visa (30 days) to visit the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia. Sabah and  Sarawak - Malaysian Visa / eNTRI required. These states have their own immigration authorities but same visa policies applies as West Malaysia. However a single entry Visa / eNTRI is valid for multiple entry/exit between the territories inside Malaysia.
 * 🇲🇻 Maldives outside Malé - Permission required. Tourists are generally prohibited from visiting non-resort islands without the express permission of the Government of Maldives.
 * 🇰🇵 North Korea outside Pyongyang - Special permit required. People are not allowed to leave the capital city, tourists can only leave the capital with a governmental tourist guide (no independent moving).
 * 🇷🇺 Russia - Several closed cities and regions in Russia require special authorization.
 * 🇸🇦 Mecca and Medina - Special access required. Non-Muslims and those following the Ahmadiyya religious movement are strictly prohibited from entry.
 * 🇸🇩 Sudan. Darfur - Separate travel permit is required.
 * 🇸🇩 Sudan outside Khartoum - All foreigners traveling more than 25 kilometers outside of Khartoum must obtain a travel permit.
 * 🇹🇯 Tajikistan. Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province - OIVR permit required (15+5 Tajikistani Somoni) and another special permit (free of charge) is required for Lake Sarez.
 * 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan. Closed cities - A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Atamurat, Cheleken, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat.
 * 🇺🇸 United States. Closed city of Mercury, Nevada, United States - Special authorization is required for entry into Mercury.
 * 🇺🇸 United States. United States Minor Outlying Islands - Special permits required for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island.
 * 🇻🇪 Venezuela. Margarita Island - Visa not required. All visitors are fingerprinted.
 * Vietnam. Phú Quốc - Visa not required for 30 days.
 * 🇾🇪 Yemen outside Sana’a or Aden - Special permission needed for travel outside Sana’a or Aden.
 * 🇺🇳 UN Buffer Zone in Cyprus - Access Permit is required for travelling inside the zone, except Civil Use Areas.
 * 🇺🇳 Korean Demilitarized Zone - Restricted area.
 * 🇺🇳 UNDOF Zone and Ghajar - Restricted area.

Hong Kong and Macau SARs

 * Rather than passports, Chinese citizens from mainland China are required to travel to Hong Kong and Macau with an in-lieu travel document named Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau (EEP-HKMO) to align with the position that Hong Kong and Macau are Chinese territories rather than foreign. EEP holders must apply for an endorsement which serves as both the exit permission from mainland China and the de facto visa for Hong Kong or Macau. EEP holders without an endorsement shall be prohibited from departing from mainland China. It is the Immigration in mainland China rather than that in Hong Kong and Macau that is responsible for issuing endorsements.
 * Chinese passport holders intending to transit via Hong Kong or Macao between mainland China and a foreign third place may travel directly with their Chinese passport without applying for EEP and an endorsement. They are eligible for stay up to 7 days without a (de facto) visa.
 * Chinese passport holders residing abroad on a long-term basis may apply for a at Chinese missions abroad. The sticker shall allow up to (1) two entries within three months, 30 days stay for each entry; or (2) multiple entries within two years, 14 days stay for each entry. However, there is no similar sticker for Macao.

Taiwan
Taiwan and mainland China have been under separated governance since 1949, respectively ruled by the Government of the Republic of China and the Government of the People's Republic of China due to the Chinese Civil War. Even though neither party regards the people of the other as foreigner, movement of people between mainland China and Taiwan is subject to immigration restrictions impose by both parties, either for immigrants or visitors. Chinese Mainlanders are subject to Taiwan immigration requirements, and are also subject to Mainland exit permission requirements if they are boarding a ferry or flight directly heading to Taiwan departing from the Mainland.

Exit-related restrictions include:
 * Rather than Chinese passports, Chinese Government requires Mainlanders to travel to Taiwan with an in-lieu travel document named Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Taiwan (EEP-TW) to align with its sovereignty claim over Taiwan.
 * EEP-TW holders requires an endorsement (exit permission) or they will be refused exit from mainland China.
 * Chinese passport holders intending to transit via Taiwan between mainland China and a foreign third place but without an endorsed EEP-TW are usually refused exit, unless they depart from Taiwan Transit Pilot Program cities: Chongqing, Nanchang, and Kunming.

Entry-related restrictions include:
 * Chinese Mainlanders need Exit & Entry Permit for Taiwan, Republic of China (hereinafter the "Permit") issued by Taiwan Immigration or they will be refused entry. The Permit, when produced, shall be accompanied by a mainland China travel document, either the Chinese passport or EEP-TW, as the case may be.
 * For Mainlanders residing in the Mainland and applying for the Permit for the purpose of tourism, it's the policy of Taiwan Immigration that the Permit shall not be issued without a valid exit-permission issued by mainland China Immigration. As the Mainland Immigration suspended issuance of such exit-permission since 2019, and the Taiwan Immigration suspended the issuance of the Permit accordingly, Mainlanders residing in Mainland may not travel to Taiwan for the tourism purpose for now.
 * Chinese passport holders residing in Hong Kong, Macau or a foreign place on a long-term basis may apply directly to the Taiwan Immigration for a Permit. They do not need an EEP-TW or an endorcement (exit permission) to apply for the Permit, and may travel to Taiwan directly from a place other than mainland China.


 * For tourists residing overseas (including Hong Kong and Macau) since September 1, 2023, and medical, business and student purpose permit issuance has been resumed earlier.

Non-ordinary passports


Holders of Chinese diplomatic or official / service passports may enter the following countries without a visa.

APEC Business Travel Card


Holders of an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) travelling on business do not require a visa to the following countries:

1 - Up to 180 days 2 - Up to 90 days 3 - Up to 90 days in a period of 180 days 4 - Up to 60 days

The card must be used in conjunction with a passport and has the following advantages:
 * No need to apply for a visa or entry permit to APEC countries, as the card is treated as such (except by Canada and United States)
 * Undertake legitimate business in participating economies
 * Expedited border crossing in all member economies, including transitional members
 * The rule is not available among the CHN, HKG, TWN travellers on business

Exit and Entry Permit


In addition to passports, Exit and Entry Permit were issued to citizens of the People's Republic of China for visiting certain land neighboring countries for trade, tourism purposes without a passport, and visa to the country of visiting and vice versa under the bilateral agreements. Such permit is issued by the police stations in the related border administrative divisions. By far, travelers from the administrative divisions that share borders with North Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, India and Nepal could apply for the Exit-Entry Permit for crossing borders.