Updated · 4 min read · Mango Tour editorial, Sanya
In short: most travellers from Europe, North America, Australia and Asia can enter Hainan without a visa for up to 30 days, but under different schemes with different limits. The Hainan scheme covers 61 countries and keeps the guest on the island; the China-wide scheme lets about 45 nationalities continue to the mainland; transit rules need an onward ticket. Rules below are as published on 16 October 2026.
Three ways in, at a glance
- Hainan 30-day visa-free entry — nationals of 61 countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most EU states, Japan, Korea and Russia. Stay within Hainan Province.
- China-wide 30-day visa-free entry — about 45 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea; the UK and Canada since 17 February 2026. Valid to 31 December 2026; the guest may travel anywhere in mainland China.
- 240-hour visa-free transit — nationals of 57 countries with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region.
- Russian citizens — a separate visa-free arrangement for up to 30 days, extended to 31 December 2027.
The Hainan 30-day scheme in detail
Run by the National Immigration Administration of China (NIA). Since 20 August 2026, when Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added, it covers 61 countries. Holders of ordinary passports enter through Hainan's open ports — Sanya Phoenix and Haikou Meilan airports and the island's seaports — and may stay for up to 30 days, counted from 00:00 on the day after entry.
Permitted purposes are tourism, business, visits, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions and sports events. Work, study and journalism still need a visa. Under the current rules no travel-agency booking or advance declaration is required.
The limit that matters for itineraries: the guest must stay within Hainan Province. A Sanya stay followed by a few days in Shanghai is not covered by this scheme.
Practical information for travellers to Hainan →When a client needs a different route
If the itinerary continues to the mainland, check the guest's passport against the China-wide list first. Nationals of covered countries may combine Hainan with Beijing, Shanghai or Xi'an without a visa, within 30 days, until 31 December 2026 — after that date only if the policy is extended again.
US citizens are on the Hainan list but not on the China-wide list. For a Hainan-only trip they travel visa-free; to add the mainland they need either a visa or the 240-hour transit rules, which require a confirmed ticket onward to a third country or region.
Online arrival card
Since 20 November 2025 foreign travellers can file the arrival card online before departure: on the NIA website, in the NIA 12367 app, or in the WeChat and Alipay mini-programs. The service is free; the NIA has warned about look-alike websites that charge for it. Guests who have not filed can do it at the border by QR code or on paper.
What to check before you sell
- Nationality and passport type: ordinary passports only.
- The scheme in force on the travel date — the China-wide list currently runs to 31 December 2026.
- Whether the itinerary stays in Hainan or continues to the mainland.
- Entry through a Hainan port for the Hainan scheme.
- A confirmed onward ticket to a third country if the guest relies on transit rules.
- The online arrival card, filed before departure.
How we handle it
For every booking we check the current rules against each guest's passport before we confirm the programme, and we flag itineraries where the Hainan scheme does not cover a mainland extension. Our team in Sanya meets guests on arrival and works in English, Russian and Chinese.
Ask about a specific passport or itinerary →
