Hainan offers one of China's most open visa-free travel regimes for foreign visitors. Several overlapping policies let ordinary passport holders enter the island without a visa for tourism, business, and family visits — each with strict limits on purpose and stay. Here is what to know before you book a trip.
About the policy
Hainan's regional visa-free entry is part of the Hainan Free Trade Port opening. It started in 2018 with 59 countries, was expanded to more visit purposes in 2024, and reached 61 countries in 2026, as China steadily widens visa-free access under its high-level opening-up.
61-country 30-day visa-free entry
Ordinary passport holders from 61 designated countries may enter Hainan without a visa for up to 30 days. Eligible purposes include tourism, commercial activities and trade, visits and exchanges, family reunions, medical treatment, attending exhibitions, and sporting events. Work and long-term study are excluded.
Eligible countries (61):
Asia · 13
the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam
Europe — Schengen Area · 25
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Europe — other · 15
Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Monaco
Americas · 6
the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
Oceania · 2
Australia, New Zealand
Eligible purposes, with examples
The 61-country policy covers short, non-employment visits. The officially listed purposes are:
Work and long-term study are excluded. "Work" means employment or taking a post in China — see the FAQ on remote work below.
How long you can stay, and extending it
The 30-day stay is counted from midnight on the day after you enter. If you have a legitimate reason to stay longer, or to leave Hainan for another part of China, you must apply for a visa / stay permit at a Hainan exit-entry administration before your visa-free period expires — official guidance says at least 7 days before expiry.
You (or your Hainan travel agency) submit your passport, a certificate from the inviting or receiving party, and purpose-specific documents (invitation letter, trip plan, family-relationship proof, etc.). Local exit-entry offices: Haikou, Sanya, Yangpu, Wenchang, Qionghai, and Chengmai; travelers elsewhere in Hainan apply at the provincial Public Security Department's exit-entry bureau.
Traveling beyond Hainan
The 61-country visa-free entry limits your activities to Hainan Province. To visit the Chinese mainland (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.), apply for a visa / stay permit at a Hainan exit-entry administration before you go. If your trip also covers mainland China, you may instead use China's nationwide mutual or unilateral visa-free policies, which allow a wider area of movement — pick the policy that fits your route and length of stay.
What to prepare before you fly
- Valid ordinary passport — official, diplomatic, or temporary travel documents are not covered.
- Round-trip / onward ticket with confirmed dates.
- Hotel booking for your stay (recommended).
- Hainan itinerary (recommended). Most 61-country travelers should be registered by a Hainan travel agency at least 24 hours before arrival (passport, ticket, hotel, itinerary); submitting details about 48 hours ahead is advised for a smooth entry. Six countries — Singapore, Japan, Brunei, the UAE, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina — have their own mutual visa-free terms and do not need this pre-registration.
- Carry an invitation letter or supporting documents if visiting for business, family, or events — it speeds up border checks.
240-hour transit visa-free
Nationals of 57 countries holding confirmed onward tickets can transit through China (including Hainan) visa-free for up to 240 hours (10 days). In Hainan the eligible ports are Haikou Meilan and Sanya Phoenix International Airports.
Not a workaround for work: work, study, and news reporting still require a visa arranged in advance — the 240 hours are for transit travel, not employment.
Nationwide mutual & unilateral exemptions
On top of Hainan's regional policy, China's nationwide visa exemptions now cover a large number of countries (mutual exemptions with roughly 29 countries and unilateral exemptions with about 50). Stacked together with the Hainan policies, citizens of around 88 countries can enter Hainan visa-free for tourism, family visits, trade, and similar purposes.
What you still cannot do visa-free
- Work — taking employment requires a work permit and Z visa / residence permit.
- Long-term study — requires a student (X) visa.
- Travel to mainland China beyond Hainan — needs a stay permit from the Hainan entry-exit authority.
Practical tips for visa-free visitors
- Register your accommodation within 24 hours of arrival — hotels do this for you; private stays must be registered at the local police station or online.
- If flying from a country with no direct Hainan flight, route via Hong Kong or another Chinese city and connect.
- To stay longer or move to the mainland, apply for a stay permit before your 30 days expire.
Want to work or run a business in Hainan?
The island's open visa-free rules are great for scouting, but employment and company operation require the proper work permit and Z visa. We handle WFOE setup and work permits in Hainan.
Get a free eligibility check →Which foreigners can enter Hainan without a visa?
Ordinary passport holders from 61 designated countries can enter Hainan visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, visits, family, medical, exhibitions, and sports — but not for work or study. Combined with nationwide mutual and unilateral visa exemptions, citizens of about 88 countries can now enter Hainan visa-free in some form.
Can I work in Hainan on the 30-day visa-free entry?
No. Visa-free entry to Hainan explicitly excludes work and long-term study. To work, you must obtain a work permit and a Z visa / residence permit through the normal channel.
Does remote work count as "work"?
The visa-free entry excludes employment — taking a post or being hired in China. Purely working remotely for a company outside China, without a Chinese employer or local salary, generally falls outside that definition. But if you take up employment, a local post, or paid work in Hainan, you need a work permit and Z visa. When in doubt, use the work-visa route.
Can I enter Hainan visa-free more than once?
Yes. Each visa-free entry gives a fresh 30-day stay; leaving and re-entering restarts the clock. (A few countries with separate mutual agreements have their own repeat-entry terms.)
How is this different from the 240-hour transit visa-free?
The 240-hour transit policy is for transiting to a third country (57 countries, via Haikou or Sanya airports, stay within designated areas up to 10 days). The 61-country Hainan entry is for visiting purposes, limited to Hainan, up to 30 days. If your trip also covers mainland China, the nationwide visa-free policies may suit better.
Can I buy property or register a marriage on this visa-free entry?
Visa-free stay is for short visits. Long-term matters — employment, study, residence, property purchase, marriage registration — need the corresponding visa or residence permit. Handle those through the proper channel rather than the 30-day entry.