China Visa Update — 2 August 2026

visa • 2 August 2026

China’s **2026 visa picture is more favourable for short-stay tourists**, with a **30-day visa-free entry policy** extended to **31 December 2026** for eligible ordinary passport holders, including **Australia**, according to Visa for China’s FAQ and related official notices.[6][1] China also says it will continue to **refine visa-free policy**, **streamline entry procedures**, and expand **digital immigration services**, which should make arrivals simpler for foreign visitors.[2][7] For Australian travellers, the key practical point is that the visa-free scheme covers **tourism, business, family visits, exchange visits and transit**, but **longer stays**, **work** or **study** still require the relevant visa.[6][1] If your trip is **over 30 days** or does not fit the eligible purposes, you still need to apply for a standard **L (tourist) visa**.[1][6] A second useful option remains the **240-hour visa-free transit programme**, which currently applies to nationals of **55 countries** through **65 designated ports**.[2][11] According to official guidance quoted in China’s state media, this transit rule is aimed at passengers moving on to a **third country or region**, so it is best suited to stopovers rather than round trips that start and end in the same country.[2][11]

Sources