Updates
What changed
Rule changes that affect visitors, and every change we make to a guide. Newest first.
Rules
240-hour visa-free transit widened to 57 countries, adding Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam.
Affects: Travellers transiting through China from either country.
Visa-free entry for Russian passport holders extended to 31 December 2027.
Affects: Russian ordinary passport holders.
UK and Canadian passport holders added to 30-day visa-free entry.
Affects: UK and Canadian ordinary passport holders.
Our guides
Book Forbidden City tickets with a foreign passport
Page drafted from official sources. No booking tested yet. Ticket prices not yet checked.
Book the Summer Palace without a Chinese phone number
Page drafted from official replies. Nothing tested yet. The main source is from June 2025 and is due a re-check.
Visa-free entry: who qualifies, and until when
Page drafted from official notices. Checked again for an extension into 2027: none announced.
Pay in China with a foreign card
Page drafted from one official page. Alipay terms, card brands and limits still need an official source.
Buy train tickets on 12306 with a passport
Page drafted from official pages. Sales window and review time rest on secondary reports.