The three visa-free tracks

China has three different visa-free tracks. Using the wrong one is a common refusal reason.

Unilateral visa-free: 50 listed countries, ordinary passports, 30 days. No third-country ticket. No area cap. Official NIA list as of 17 February 2026. Stay is counted from 00:00 the day after entry. Not for work, study as a student, or journalism.

Mutual visa-free: bilateral agreements covering ordinary passports. Usually 30 days; many also 90-in-180. No third-country ticket unless the treaty says otherwise.

240-hour transit (TWOV): 57 listed countries/regions transiting to a third country or region, 10 days (NIA, effective 20 Aug 2026). Confirmed onward ticket required. Designated ports and areas only (65 ports). Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam are on the TWOV list (added 20 Aug 2026); Malaysia is not — Malaysian ordinary passports use the separate mutual visa-free track, not 240-hour transit.

24-hour airside transit exists for all nationalities if you stay inside the port restricted area.

If you already qualify for 30-day visa-free, those rules prevail — no third-country ticket, no area cap. Country lists, expiry dates, and TWOV ports change often. Recheck NIA/MFA before you fly. Russia’s unilateral policy was listed until 14 September 2026; most other 48 until 31 December 2026. Brunei had no end date stated.