What the official lists say
The NIA list of countries covered by the unilateral 30-day visa exemption, dated 17 Feb 2026, names 50 countries and the United States is not one of them. The separate NIA page on visa-free transit, dated 20 Aug 2026, covers 57 countries and does include the United States.
The NIA pages do not state an end date. Press reports put the end of the 30-day policy at 31 December 2026. Both pages were read on 5 Nov 2026, and the rule that applies to you is the one in force on the day you enter.
When transit works for a US passport
Transit fits a trip that starts outside China, passes through China and ends in a third country or region, for example New York to Shanghai to Tokyo. A round trip that returns to the US does not qualify.
Work, study and news reporting are outside the transit policy and need a visa and the right approval first.
The 240-hour transit option
The NIA transit page, dated 20 Aug 2026, lists the United States among 57 countries. The conditions it gives: an ordinary passport, an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and a set date, a third country or region as the next stop, entry through one of 65 listed ports in 24 provinces, regions and municipalities, and a stay of up to 10 days inside the permitted areas.
It is the only visa-free route on this page for a US passport, so the onward ticket and the port of entry are the first things to check.
Before you book
- You hold an ordinary US passport and your route ends outside both China and your home country.
- Your onward ticket is confirmed, with a date and a seat, to a third country or region.
- Your arrival port is one of the listed ones if you rely on transit.
- You have read the NIA page again within a week of departure.
If your plan is a normal holiday that begins and ends in the US, you need a Chinese visa. Check the embassy or consulate that serves your home address, and apply before you buy non-refundable parts of the trip.
Compare China eSIM plans
Yesim
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Check eSIM compatibility, carrier unlock, coverage and when validity starts. Buy and install while you have reliable Wi-Fi. Prices in US dollars, from each provider’s China page on the date shown. They change often.
Questions before you go
Do US citizens need a visa for China?
For a normal trip, yes. The 240-hour transit is the exception, when you continue to a third country or region.
How is the 30-day stay counted?
The NIA note says the stay is counted from 00:00 on the day after the date of entry.
Where is the official rule?
On the National Immigration Administration site: the unilateral list is dated 17 Feb 2026 and the transit page 20 Aug 2026.
Sources & review notes
- NIA: countries covered by unilateral visa exemption, 17 Feb 2026 ↗ · Reviewed
- National Immigration Administration ↗ · Reviewed
- China Highlights: visa exemption update ↗ · Reviewed
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