Today the blogger got his passport and looked at where he can go. I found the list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries for private passports online and share it with everyone. The long-debated issues of whether Chinese border inspection lets you leave, and unilateral visa-free/visa-on-arrival, no longer need agonizing! Since the last update in January 2014, huge changes have appeared. The number of countries where you can just pick up and go with a Chinese passport has surged to 46! Although some countries haven’t entered the clearance list yet, I think they’ll be updated soon.

April 2014 Update

This list is only for mainland China ordinary private passports. Diplomatic/official/public-affairs passports are not discussed. Changes are marked in bold!

(A) Countries and regions cleared by Chinese border inspection — leave mainland China with just passport and ticket

Even a blank passport works — i.e., a passport with no valid visa Some countries also need supporting materials like return tickets, hotel bookings, etc.

1. Hong Kong, China (7 days, holding a ticket from Hong Kong to a third country within 7 days; the day of entry doesn’t count)

2. Macau, China (7 days, holding a ticket from Macau to a third country within 7 days; the day of entry doesn’t count) 3. Thailand (15 days)

3. Jeju Island, South Korea (30 days)

4. Indonesia (30 days, including Bali)

5. Malaysia (transit visa, holding a ticket transiting within 72 hours) Note: Malaysia officially is 120 hours; most Chinese border inspections clear 72 hours, a few clear 120 hours (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) 7. Nepal (15/30/90 days) Note: the Zhangmu port in Tibet does not offer visa on arrival 8. Cambodia (30 days) Note: both visa on arrival and e-visa 9. Laos (30 days) 10. Myanmar (28 days) Note: for unconditional visa on arrival, only on Myanmar Airways flight 712 direct from Guangzhou to Yangon, no invitation letter needed. Other direct flights like China Southern CZ3055, Yunnan’s East Asia MU2031/2011, Air China CA905, and transits from third countries all require an invitation letter!

6. Maldives (30 days) 12. Sri Lanka (30 days) Note: both visa on arrival and e-visa

7. Saipan (45 days)

8. East Timor (30 days, airport only, need to email immigration in advance)

9. Bahrain (14 days)

10. Jordan (30 days) 17. Iran (15 days) Although border inspection clears it, due to airline reasons you still need to boldly get past ground staff 18. Lebanon (30 days)

11. Georgia (90 days) If holding a used-once 1-year+ multiple-entry visa from the US, Schengen, UK, or Ireland, visa-free 90 days, saving visa fees vs. visa on arrival. From Urumqi border inspection to Georgia requires original invitation letter; other ports have no such requirement. Note: visa on arrival shows a tightening trend; please understand the latest situation before departure.

12. Palau (30 days)

13. Fiji (120 days)

14. Samoa (60 days)

15. Tuvalu (30 days)

16. Comoros (45 days)

17. Vanuatu (30 days) 26. Kenya (90 days) 27. Tanzania (90 days) 28. Uganda (14 days)

18. Mauritius (30 days)

19. Seychelles (30 days) 31. Togo (7 days) 32. Cape Verde (30 days) 33. Bahamas (30 days) 34. Jamaica (30 days)

20. Haiti (60 days) 36. Madagascar (30 days)

21. British Turks and Caicos Islands (90 days)

22. British South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (age 16+, stay no more than 72 hours £110, over 72 hours £160) > >>The following countries have complex visa-free/visa-on-arrival procedures; although Chinese border inspection clears them, most require immigration approval letters, invitation letters, or are basically impossible for individual tourists to get visa on arrival; recommend getting a visa in advance.

23. Vietnam: visa on arrival only in very special cases; tourism basically hopeless; normal travel still requires e-visa or advance visa; e-visa very easy to get

24. Egypt (immigration filing)

25. Turkmenistan (invitation letter/immigration approval letter)

26. Côte d’Ivoire (invitation letter)

27. Sierra Leone (invitation letter)

28. Guyana (invitation letter)

29. Guinea-Bissau (immigration approval letter)

30. San Marino (visa-free. Country too small to have an airport or border inspection; must enter from Italy with a Schengen visa)

31. British Saint Helena (180 days, only reachable by ship from Cape Town, South Africa, a few per month; must obtain South Africa transit visa twice) (B) E-visas cleared by border inspection (print and take to airport) 1. Vietnam (very easy to get)

32. Sri Lanka (30 days, application URL: http://ww.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/)

33. Cambodia (application URL: http://www.mfaic.gov.kh/evisa/?lang=CHiS)

34. Turkey (30 days, application URL: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa)

35. Singapore

36. Australia

37. Qatar

38. UAE

39. Senegal

40. Guinea-Bissau (need immigration approval letter) (C) The other side gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival, but it’s not yet on the Chinese border inspection clearance list. Use your imagination to get past border inspection (e.g., have a valid visa from another country or depart from Hong Kong)

41. Malaysia Note: need a valid Singapore or Thailand visa, and fly from Singapore or Thailand to Malaysia; at Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Penang airports, pay 330 MYR (about 110 USD) to get it

42. Bangladesh (only Dhaka airport)

43. Tajikistan (only Dushanbe airport)

44. Rwanda (30 days, apply in advance, get visa at airport: https://www.migration.gov.rw/)

45. São Tomé and Príncipe (application site: www.smf.st/virtualvisa)

46. Federated States of Micronesia (30 days)

47. Dominica

48. Cook Islands

49. Niue

50. Djibouti

51. Mozambique

52. Somaliland (not Somalia, next to Somalia)

53. Ethiopia (airport only, not land)

54. Burkina Faso (land only)

55. Eswatini (if transiting from South Africa, need a South Africa transit visa)

56. Cuba (need to buy a tourist card from the airline when boarding)

57. Dutch Caribbean islands Note: new rule is that with a visa for any of these islands you can go to the others. E.g., with an Aruba visa you can go to the Netherlands Antilles (including Sint Maarten)

58. Northern Cyprus Note: gives visa-free to everyone, but to go to Cyprus (European part) you need a Cyprus visa or meet Schengen visa-free rules (see section G) (D) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid US visa

59. Philippines (7 days; this rule is special — it doesn’t explicitly say US green card and Canadian green card are visa-free, only says US visa and Canadian visa are visa-free)

60. Bermuda (180 days)

61. British Virgin Islands (US green card only)

62. Cayman Islands (30 days, US green card only)

63. Dominican Republic (30 days)

64. Mexico (180 days) 7. Honduras (180 days, need a US, Canadian, or Schengen visa with remaining validity over 6 months)

65. Costa Rica (30 days, B, D, F, H only; if F or H, remaining validity over 6 months)

66. Panama (30 days, visa must be valid and used once)

67. Dutch Caribbean islands (14 days, US green card only)

68. Montenegro (7 days)

69. Canada (180 days, US green card only)

70. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (E) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid Canadian visa

71. Philippines (7 days; this rule is special — it doesn’t explicitly say US green card and Canadian green card are visa-free, only says US visa and Canadian visa are visa-free)

72. Bermuda (180 days)

73. British Virgin Islands (Canadian green card only)

74. Cayman Islands (30 days, Canadian green card only)

75. Dominican Republic (30 days)

76. Mexico (180 days, but maple leaf card only) 7. Honduras (180 days, need a US, Canadian, or Schengen visa with remaining validity over 6 months)

77. Costa Rica (30 days, student or permanent residence visa with at least 6 months remaining validity)

78. Panama (30 days, visa must be valid and used once)

79. Dutch Caribbean islands (14 days, Canadian maple leaf card only)

80. French overseas territories, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Canadian maple leaf card only)

81. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (F) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid UK visa

82. Dominican Republic

83. Costa Rica (30 days, student or permanent residence visa with at least 6 months remaining validity)

84. Panama (need valid and used once)

85. Montenegro (7 days)

86. Ireland (need valid UK C Visitor visa, used once, and within 180 days of use. Example: you used your UK visa to enter the UK on 1.1, then you can enter and exit Ireland until 6.30, even if you don’t go directly from the UK)

87. Bermuda

88. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (G) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid Schengen visa

89. Dominican Republic

90. Costa Rica (30 days, student or permanent residence visa with at least 6 months remaining validity)

91. Panama (need valid and used once) 4. Honduras (180 days, need a US, Canadian, or Schengen visa with remaining validity over 6 months)

92. Philippines (7 days)

93. Albania (need multiple-entry Schengen C or D within validity)

94. Bulgaria (need valid Schengen C or D)

95. Montenegro (7 days)

96. Cyprus (valid and used-once multiple or 2-entry Schengen; if single-entry Schengen must fly from a Schengen country)

97. Macedonia (need multiple or 2-entry Schengen C or residence within validity, and leave Macedonia 5 days before expiry; special note: Schengen D visa not allowed)

98. Croatia (need 2-entry or multiple Schengen C visa or residence within validity)

99. All French overseas departments and territories, including Tahiti (must hold a 1-year or longer France-issued multiple Schengen visa)

100. Bosnia and Herzegovina (7 days, need multiple Schengen visa within validity) 15 Kosovo (15 days)

101. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) 15. Romania (90 days, need Schengen, Bulgarian, or Cyprus visa) (H) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid Australian visa

102. Panama (need valid and used once)

103. Philippines (7 days)

104. New Zealand (Australian permanent residence only)

105. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (I) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid Japanese visa

106. Costa Rica (30 days, visa with at least 6 months remaining validity)

107. Philippines (7 days)

108. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (J) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid South Korean visa

109. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (K) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid Israeli visa

110. Palestine

111. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (L) Visa-free or visa-on-arrival with a valid Irish visa

112. Montenegro

113. Turkey (e-visa https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/, need a valid Australia (must be sticker visa, e-visa not accepted), Canada, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, UK, US, Schengen, or Israel visa) (M) Conditional transit visa-free (can exit local border inspection and customs)

114. Japan (72-hour Shorepass, only Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Kansai airports, and only special circumstances. Generally not recommended)

115. South Korea now has 3 main transit visa-free a) 30 days: hold a visa or residence from Japan/US/Canada/Australia/New Zealand/Schengen/UK, and transit through South Korea to or from these countries via South Korea; Japan group visa excluded. Return must fly directly to South Korea b) 72 hours: tour groups transiting through Incheon, Gimhae, Yangyang, Cheongju, or Muan international airports to Jeju Island can stay in nearby areas and the capital region for 72 hours c) 72 hours: passengers transiting through Seoul to any third country and joining the capital sightseeing group at Incheon Airport can stay in Seoul for 72 hours; activity area limited to Seoul and Incheon region

116. Singapore (96 hours, with US/Canada/Japan/Australia/New Zealand/UK/Germany/Switzerland visa or residence, at least 1 month validity, and one round trip can only use it once)

117. UAE (96 hours, need to arrange in advance with Emirates or find a pricier airport agent)

118. UK (24 hours, with US/Canada/Australia/New Zealand/Schengen D visa or residence, and depart from these countries to destination, or from other countries to these countries. US green card or Canadian maple leaf card holders also enjoy this. But US temporary green card stamp I551 holders in passport do not enjoy this)