Americans no longer need a visa to visit China for up to 10 days
Editor's Note
Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
If you have China on your travel bingo card for 2025, I have good news for you. Effective immediately, Americans will be able to visit the country for up to 10 days without a visa if you're transiting to another destination, including Macau and Hong Kong.
This is a significant positive development for everything from last-minute trips to long-planned vacations, eliminating for many people the paperwork, cost and stress of the visa application process.
Plus, citizens of 52 other countries will be able to take advantage of these new relaxed visa procedures, too, and the majority of them can stay up to 30 days without needing a visa (the U.S. doesn't qualify yet for the longer stay).
Here are some key points about China's new visa-free transit policy for foreign visitors.
What was the previous China visa policy for Americans?
Prior to this week, Americans were required to have a visa to enter China.
While you could apply for a multiple-entry visa that was valid for 120 months, there was no guarantee that your application would be approved or that you would receive the full 10-year version, even if your visa request was granted.
TPG senior cruise writer Ashley Kosciolek applied for a Chinese visa in the fall before a recent cruise with Viking. She submitted documentation at the consulate in New York, along with the official cost of $140. While she was approved for a visa (which she had to pick up in person a few days later), it was only good for a single entry and allowed her into the country for 30 days. However, some fellow passengers on her sailing said they applied via the service the cruise recommended and were approved for 10-year visas, but at a cost of about $1,200 per person — a significant price difference that included service fees and shipping costs.
Why Americans no longer need a visa to visit China
Although China had slowly been relaxing visa requirements for many nations since last fall, up until yesterday (Dec. 16), the country required U.S. citizens to obtain a visa before they could enter the country. These visas cost $140 per person and took at least four days to process.
Starting in the fall of 2023, China had been relaxing travel requirements for foreign visitors, first allowing citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway and Malaysia to visit the country visa-free, according to China Briefing. Now, Americans, along with people from 52 other countries, will be able to visit China for at least 10 days (and up to 30 days for those from some other nations, though not the U.S.) without a visa.
As of today, Dec. 17, Americans can now stay up to 10 days (or, more specifically, 240 hours) when entering the country through one of 60 entry points across 24 provinces as a transit passenger on the way to a third destination. That means for the kind of cruise that we mention above, there would be no visa, or cost, involved to visit the country as long as you visited for less than 10 days (for a longer stay, you would still need to obtain a visa) and then went on to another destination before returning home, including the Special Administrative Regions of Macau and Hong Kong.
Restrictions to keep in mind
While visa-free transit entry is available for trips up to 240 hours, a passport is still required for travel to China, and passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into the country.
Bottom line
If the thought of applying, and paying, for a visa to visit China has been causing you to hesitate to visit the country, that obstacle has now been removed if you're transiting to a third destination.
Effective immediately, you can visit the country for up to 240 hours with a valid passport, with no other paperwork required if you add a third option to your trip, including a stop in nearby Hong Kong and Macau.
Related reading:
- US-China flights are a quarter of what they were pre-pandemic — here's why
- The difference between CDC and State Department travel warnings
- If you need a passport quickly, this service may be for you
- Can you have multiple passports?
- How the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program could help you on your next trip abroad
- Brazil delays visa requirement for Americans once again
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.