Headed to China this year? You may not need a visa, depending on your travel itinerary. As of 2016, the country’s visa policies have changed.
You can visit the following cities for up to 72 hours, or three days, without a visa: Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Guilin, Harbin, Kunming, Qingdao, Shenyang, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xiamen and Xian.
You can also visit three specific cities for up to 144 hours, or six days, without a visa: Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang.
There are some restrictions to visiting these cities without a visa. You must fly out of the same airport you arrived in and you cannot leave the city you arrived in and go elsewhere in the country. Upon your arrival, you should be able to show your confirmed ticket departing China within a 72-hour or 144-hour timeframe.
Additionally, your stay in China must be considered technically a layover. You can’t fly from the United States to China and then back to the United States without a visa — you’ll need to fly to another country first before the United States. Also, before your departure, let your airline know you will be visiting China without a visa.
There are a few exceptions. If you travel to Changsha, Guangzhou or Xiamen, you can travel within the entire province and are not required to stay in your arrival and departure city for the duration of your stay.
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