Entry & Exit:

• You must obtain a visa prior to arriving in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Your passport must have at least six months' validity remaining. If your visa is not in your valid passport, the biographical data on the valid passport and the visa must match exactly. Failure to provide any of these items may result in denial of entry and possibly additional penalties.
• U.S. citizens may apply for a ten-year multiple entry visa, which is useful for repeated travel.
• If you plan to work in the PRC, be sure to obtain the correct visa. You cannot work in the PRC on a student or tourist visa. Working without the proper visa may result in detention, deportation, criminal charges, or imprisonment.
• You must have a valid visa to exit the PRC. You must leave the PRC before the expiration of the listed duration of stay.
• Do not travel to the PRC if you have a warrant for your arrest in the United States.

Lack of a visa, having an expired visa, or overstaying your visa will result in detention and/or fines.

• If your visa has expired or is due to expire, apply for a visa extension from the local Entry-Exit Bureau before attempting to leave the PRC. Do not expect your request to be expedited, so apply ahead of time.
• Staying in the PRC on an expired visa may lead to a fine, imprisonment, and deportation.
• Visit the website of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for current visa information. You can also review information on the PRC’s immigration and nationality laws.

The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR): You must obtain a special permit for tourist travel to the TAR. This is different from a PRC visa. Special permits can often be obtained through a travel agent in the PRC. To learn more about entry requirements for the TAR or other restricted areas, check with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America.

The U.S. government has limited ability to help if you encounter problems in the TAR. The PRC government does not usually allow U.S. government personnel to travel there, even to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens.

HIV/AIDS:
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of the PRC.

Visa-Free Travel to Hainan:
Citizens of the United States and certain other countries can enter the province of Hainan visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, temporary commercial and trade activities, medical treatment, exhibitions and sports competitions, but excluding work and study. Travelers must arrive by direct international flight or via Hong Kong or Macau.

Transiting the PRC:

• You may transit through certain international airports in mainland China without a PRC visa. However, this “visa-free travel” permit is typically only valid for specific cities or regions and is subject to change. Different rules apply for different ports of entry.
• Travelers may not pursue any official meetings or take part in any work-related activities while on a “visa-free travel” permit.
• How long you can stay and where you may travel while in transit varies by region.
• Transiting without a visa requires a valid passport with at least six months of remaining validity, a visa for your onward destination (if required), and an onward ticket from the same city.
• This visa-free transit is only allowed if the flight to the PRC departs from a different country than the onward destination.
• If you enter the PRC by flying into an airport, you must depart from the same airport.
• You must inform your airline upon check-in and get an endorsement stamp at the immigration desk before leaving the airport.
• Consult the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for a current list of eligible airports and more detailed guidance.
• PRC border officials have the authority to deny foreign travelers’ entry to the PRC without warning or explanation. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General cannot intervene on your behalf if you are denied entry to the PRC.

During Your Stay: 

• You must register your stay within 24 hours of arrival in the PRC, and at each hotel or residence where you stay. Failure to do so could result in fines and deportation. You can register with hotel staff or the local police station. 
• Foreigners must carry valid passports and PRC visas or residence permits at all times.
• Entry and exit requirements are strictly enforced. Do not overstay your visa. Only participate in activities allowed by your visa class. For example, if you are on a tourist visa or student visa, you should not be working.
• Police, school administrators, transportation officials, and hotel staff may check your visa to make sure you have not overstayed. If you overstay your visa’s duration of stay, you may be denied service by hotels, airports, and train stations, as well as face fines and arrest.

Dual Nationality: The PRC government does not recognize dual nationality. If you are a citizen of both the United States and the PRC and you enter the PRC on a PRC passport, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, or other PRC-issued travel document, local authorities will assert that you are a PRC citizen only and refuse to recognize you as a U.S. citizen. U.S. citizens with ethnic or historical ties to China may also be considered PRC nationals by local authorities. This could limit your ability to access certain consular services. For example, if you are detained, local officials could deny access to U.S. consular officials and assistance.

Dual U.S.-PRC citizens may encounter challenges when seeking public benefits in the PRC. This can include enrolling in public schools, getting treatment at public hospitals and clinics, or obtaining PRC identity and citizenship documents, such as passports. The U.S. government may be unable to assist U.S.-PRC dual citizens in overcoming these challenges or navigating other consequences of PRC nationality. The PRC government may inconsistently apply interpretations of dual nationality.

If you are a naturalized U.S. citizen or have a possible claim to PRC citizenship, and you are traveling to the PRC, inform yourself about PRC nationality law and practices relating to determination and loss of PRC citizenship. PRC authorities generally consider a child born in the PRC to at least one PRC-national parent to be a PRC citizen, even if the child was issued a U.S. passport at the time of birth. If you have or had a claim to PRC citizenship and your child is born in the PRC, prior to departing the PRC with your child, you may wish to contact the local Public Security Bureau and/or Entry-Exit Bureau for information on obtaining a travel document. If you have or had a claim to PRC citizenship and your child is born in the United States, please contact the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America for specific information on the documentation requirements to bring your child to the PRC.

Find information on dual nationality, prevention of international child abduction, and customs regulations on our websites.