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Visa-free by group tour, cruise or region
Updated 9 November 2026
Besides the 30-day and 240-hour schemes, China runs regional visa-free policies — several of them open to every nationality that has diplomatic relations with China, as long as you travel in an organised group.
| Scheme | Who | Where | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hainan visa-free | Citizens of 61 countries, individually | Hainan Province; any Hainan port | 30 days |
| Cruise tour groups | Any nationality; groups of 2+ hosted by a Chinese travel agency | 13 cruise ports; coastal provinces plus Beijing | 15 days |
| HK/Macao groups → Guangdong | Nationals of countries with diplomatic ties with China, in Hong Kong or Macao first; groups of 2+ by an HK/Macao agency | Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, Shantou | 6 days |
| HK/Macao groups → Hainan | Same as above | Hainan Province | 6 days |
| ASEAN groups → Xishuangbanna | Citizens of the 10 ASEAN countries; groups of 2+ by a Chinese agency | Xishuangbanna, Yunnan (via Gasa airport or Mohan) | 6 days |
| ASEAN groups → Guilin | Same as above | Guilin, Guangxi (via Guilin airport) | 6 days |
Stays are counted from 00:00 on the day after entry. Group schemes are "group in, group out": everyone enters and leaves together with the agency.
Hainan 30-day visa-free
China's tropical island province has the most generous regional scheme: citizens of 61 countries — including the United States, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Mexico, which don't get 30-day visa-free entry elsewhere — can fly straight into Haikou or Sanya and stay 30 days, as long as they stay within Hainan. No tour group needed.
Hong Kong and Macao tour groups into Guangdong
If you're already in Hong Kong or Macao, a registered local travel agency can take you into the Pearl River Delta visa-free for up to 6 days — a good option for travellers from countries that otherwise need a visa, such as India or South Africa. Book through an agency in Hong Kong or Macao and ask specifically for a visa-free group.
Cruise groups
Passengers on international cruises calling at Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian, Lianyungang, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Xiamen, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beihai, Haikou or Sanya can go ashore visa-free on shore excursions organised through a Chinese travel agency, and must stay with the ship until it leaves China.
ASEAN tour groups
Groups from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam can visit Xishuangbanna or Guilin visa-free for 6 days through a Chinese travel agency.
Official source: National Immigration Administration — regional visa-free entry policies (20 Aug 2026)
FAQ
Can Indian citizens visit China without a visa?
Not individually. But Indian passport holders can join a 6-day visa-free tour group from Hong Kong or Macao into Guangdong or Hainan, or a cruise group (15 days). Otherwise, apply for a visa.
Can I travel alone on the Hainan visa-free policy?
Yes. The 30-day Hainan scheme is for individual travellers from 61 countries — no group needed — but you must enter through a Hainan port and stay in Hainan.