China Travel Documents 2025: Essential Requirements & Tips

Before your China tour, it's important to prepare well, especially when it comes to travel documents. Our ultimate guide covers the essential documents you need and offers useful tips to help you navigate the intricacies of document preparation.

Admire the Forbidden City in Beijing, China

Essential Travel Documents for a China Tour

Travel to China for the Great Wall

For a trip to China, the travel documents required are typically a valid passport of your own and a China visa.

Valid Passport

Note that the passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months after your visit to China. If you're traveling with children, you'll also need to provide their passports.

China Visa

Except for visitors who enjoy visa exemption, most overseas travelers require a visa to enter the mainland of China. The most common visa types, such as the tourist L visa, are usually single entry and are valid for 3 months for a maximum stay of 30 days.

Thanks to 30-day visa-free entry and 10-day visa-free transit policies, citizens of certain countries can enter China without a visa and stay for a specific period (the duration varies depending on the policy). If your country is not included in the list of visa-free countries, you will need to apply for a visa to enter China.

For tourism purposes, you can apply for a Tourist L Visa or a Port Visa at designated entry points. Both types of visas allow you to stay in China for up to 30 days.

How to Apply for a Tourist L Visa

For most international visitors, you can obtain a tourist L visa to China in an easier way. Apart from the valid passport, here are the other materials you will need to prepare for applying for the tourist L visa:

Visa Application Form and Photo: Complete the form and provide a copy of your passport profile photo.

Itinerary Details: Round-trip flight bookings, hotel reservations, or an invitation letter from China.

How to Apply for a Port Visa

By joining a group tour for more than 2 people, you can apply for a port visa to enter China, which is quite similar to visa-on-arrival. This is a wise way to skip the process of waiting for the visa if you're traveling with your family or friend.

To enjoy a trip exclusively with your family and friends, consider our private customized itineraries. Our experts have extensive experience in itinerary planning and can recommend the most suitable trip based on your preferences and budget. Your journey includes private car transfers, a personal guide, and carefully selected hotels, ensuring a seamless and personalized travel experience.

Optional Documents for Your China Tour

1. Tibet Permittent

The Potala Palace in Tibet

To enter Tibet, you must hold a Tibet Travel Permit, which must be obtained 15 days before entering Tibet.

A Tibet permit is sufficient if you only stay in Lhasa. However, if you want to extend your trip to more places in Tibet, such as Mount Everest in Shigatse or Mount Kailash in Ngari, an Alien's Travel Permit and Military Area Entry Permit are required. And the Tibet Travel Permit must be arranged through a travel agency. Independent travelers cannot enter Tibet on their own.

Additionally, you may need to prepare a certificate for your work, and a fitness certificate from a registered doctor is also required to show that you're fit to travel and that your blood pressure and heart condition are normal to acclimatize to the high altitude of Tibet.

2. Travel Insurance

If you asked us whether you should buy travel insurance before going to China, our answer is certainly yes.

While it's not a mandatory travel document to enter China, having travel insurance can provide valuable coverage for unexpected events such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, or other unforeseen circumstances. It offers peace of mind and financial protection during your travels.

3. Medical Record

Bring your medical record can help a lot

It's a good idea to carry essential medical information with you. This includes details of any pre-existing medical conditions, allergies, current medications, emergency contacts, and your insurance company's name and phone number.

Having this information readily available can be invaluable in case of a medical emergency or if you require medical treatment while in China.

Additionally, if you have any specific health concerns or conditions, it may be beneficial to consult your healthcare provider before traveling.

Can I Visit China Without a Visa?

Yes, under certain circumstances, you can enter China without a visa and stay for a period of time. Currently, there are four major visa-free policies:

1. 30-Day Visa-Free Entry

According to China's government announcement, citizens from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Singapore, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, or other 48 certain countries can enter China to travel for up to 30 days without a visa.

For detailed information, please refer to: China Visa-Free Entry 2025: Policy & Travel Ideas

2. 10-Day Visa-Free Transit

China has a 10-day visa-free policy, allowing citizens from 54 countries in the world to take a transit tour in a certain city or region without applying for a visa, including the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Russia, etc. It means that as long as you have a combined ticket for transit from China to a third country or region, you may have the chance to enjoy a visa-free tour in China for up to 10 days.

For detailed information, please refer to: China 10-Day Visa-Free Transit Policy 2025

3. Hong Kong and Macao Visa-Free Entry

If you plan to travel to Hong Kong only, you don't need to have a visa, and you can stay there for no longer than 90 days. As for Macao, you can enjoy a visa-free stay for 30 days. (Available for most citizens, including those from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, etc.)

4. 30-Day Hainan Visa-Free Entry

The Hainan visa-free policy is a bit different from the 2 visa-free policies we mentioned above. However, it only allows you to travel within Hainan. Moreover, the countries covered by Hainan's visa-free policy do not completely overlap with those covered by the previous two policies.

For example, travelers from the U.S.A. or Canada can visit Hainan visa-free. However, if you plan to visit other parts of mainland China, you will need to apply for a separate visa if you do not qualify for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.

Check if you're visa-free to Hainan in this article: Hainan Visa-Free Policy 2025

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Visa-Free China Odyssey Tour with Hong Kong 13 DAYS Explore This Tour

Travel Tips for a China Tour

• Use Translation Apps: If you're traveling alone and don't know about Mandarin, using a translation app can help a lot. You can input English and show the translation to the local people you meet with.
• Get a VPN: Many Western websites (Google, Facebook, Instagram) are blocked in China. Install a VPN before your trip, and you can stay connected.
• Payments Methods: In most cases, Visa cards can be used. Apps like Alipay and WeChat Pay are more widely used. You can simply link your bank account and use it on your trip to China.
• Pay Attention to Dietary Habit Differences: If you have food allergies or celiac disease, you can let the restaurant know about it or ask for your guide to arrange the food for you.

Hope this article makes it clear to you how to prepare the documents and get ready for traveling to China. If you want to know more or seek a seamless private China tour, please feel free to contact us or email trip@odynovotours.com. Our team is experienced with customizing personal itineraries. We will help plan your China tour with arranging personal cars, exclusive local guides, and carefully selected hotels.