In December 2023, China launched a unilateral visa-free policy for passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia for business, leisure and transit purposes on a trial basis, effective from 1 December 2023 to 30 November 2024. Ordinary passport holders from those six countries who travel to China for business or tourism purposes or to visit friends or relatives, or who pass through China in transit, during the trial period will be granted visa-free entry for up to 15 days.

Effective from 9 February 2024, nationals of Singapore may enter and stay in China for up to 30 days without applying for a visa for the purpose of tourism, business, or visiting relatives or friends. The same policy applies to nationals of Thailand effective from 1 March 2024.

Currently, nationals of Brunei may enter and stay in China for up to 15 days without applying for a visa for the purpose of tourism, business, visiting relatives or friends, or transit. China's policy of granting unilateral 15-day visa-free entry to nationals of Japan was suspended on 29 March 2020 as part of the country's COVID-19 restrictions and has not been resumed as of February 2024. Therefore, nationals of Japan will need to apply for a Chinese visa or, if they meet the particular conditions, carry out the visa-free transit procedures under the 72-hour/144-hour visa-free transit policy below.

As of November 2023, 23 cities and 31 international entry points into China (including Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin and Xiamen) have adopted a visa-free policy for passport holders of 54 countries to transit for up to 72 hours (three days) or 144 hours (six days).

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei areas: Eligible foreign nationals should arrive or depart through designated entry points in one of the following:

• Beijing (Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station)
• Tianjin (Tianjin Binhai International Airport), Tianjin (Tianjin International Cruise Home Port)
• Shijiazhuang (Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport)
• Qinhuangdao (Qinhuangdao Harbor)

Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai areas: Eligible foreign nationals should arrive or depart through international entry points to the following:

• Shanghai and air entry points to the following:
• Nanjing
• Hangzhou
• Ningbo

Guangdong areas: Eligible foreign nationals should arrive or depart through the international airports in the following:

• Guangzhou
• Shenzhen
• Jieyang

 Liaoning province area: Eligible foreign nationals should arrive or depart through the international airports in the following:

• Shenyang
• Dalian

Alternatively, foreigners eligible for the visa-free transit policy can travel within the above transit areas freely.

Eligible foreign nationals can also travel within the following cities based on the 144-hour visa-free transit policy:

• Chengdu
• Chongqing
• Kunming
• Qingdao
• Wuhan
• Xi'an
• Xiamen

The following cities provide a 72-hour visa-free transit policy to eligible foreign nationals:

• Changsha
• Guilin
• Harbin

Importantly, the transit requirement obliges the foreign national to depart China for a third country. They cannot depart from and return to the same country. Further, the foreign national cannot travel to another administrative area within China during the transit period.

Foreign nationals who travel to China for commercial and trade activities should apply for an M business visa. Visa applications are submitted to China consular posts, many of which require an invitation letter issued by the relevant business partner or "inviting company" in China. The most common types of M visas are as follows:

Note: Currently, US and Canadian citizens may be granted multiple-entry M visas that are valid for 10 years based on the countries' reciprocal visa validity agreement with China. British citizens may be granted multiple-entry M visas that are valid for two years, five years and 10 years, respectively. Since 1 February 2018, former Chinese nationals may be granted multiple-entry M visas that are valid for five years.