The traveller’s exact question
I saw visa-free entry for Hainan, cruise passengers or groups from Hong Kong. Can I use one—and can I then continue into the rest of China?
Three variables decide the answer: whether a qualifying group is mandatory, the exact permitted geography, and whether a wider unilateral or mutual policy already covers the passport.
A regional policy may be the wrong choice even when you qualify
The official regional-policy notice says that where a bilateral agreement or China’s unilateral policy applies, the relevant regulations shall prevail.
For Hainan → Beijing, stop at the Hainan-only answer. Choose a different valid basis for the complete itinerary before arrival; the Hainan permission itself cannot cover Beijing. These checks help you choose the authority and next action, not establish any nationality’s nationwide eligibility.
Unilateral entry
Consider this for an ordinary passport on the current list, a permitted short-visit purpose and a stay within the policy limit. In MFA questions 1–2, match your nationality and travel date; question 6 explains purpose checks. Do not infer eligibility from Hainan’s separate list.
Open MFA list, dates and purpose rules ↗Mutual agreement
Find the exact country and ordinary-passport category, then read the duration and notes. A diplomatic or service-passport row does not cover an ordinary passport. In the Chinese list, ordinary passports are labelled 普通护照; match the foreign-passport category, not a Chinese-only condition. The NIA table is dated April 2025: compare the later MFA list and the applicable agreement or embassy notice before relying on it. Do not assume a universal stay length or calculate remaining days without the relevant stay history.
Open NIA agreement details and stay conditions ↗240-hour transit
Consider this only for a qualifying passport and a confirmed onward route to a different country or region: A → mainland China → B, with A different from B. Check the current nationality list, travel-document requirements, entry and exit ports, every permitted stop and onward ticket. Hainan → Beijing is a domestic leg; it does not itself prove third-country transit.
Open NIA transit eligibility, ports and area rules ↗No confirmed route? Use the visa-office fallback
Do not book the wider mainland leg on an unverified visa-free assumption. Before travel, open the Chinese embassy or consulate responsible for where you will apply, or select your country and city at the Visa Application Service Centre where one serves that location. Give your nationality, passport type, legal residence, actual purpose, dates and all mainland stops; use that office’s visa instructions.
Find the Chinese embassy or consulate ↗If a passport, purpose, duration or route condition is unknown, none of these alternatives is confirmed. Use the visa-office fallback or shorten the itinerary to a policy you can verify. If you have already entered under a regional permission, do not assume you can switch it mid-trip; contact local public-security exit-entry or 12367 before leaving the allowed area.
Find the row that matches the actual trip
| Policy | Who | Group rule | Entry route | Permitted area | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hainan 30-day | Ordinary passports from 61 listed countries | No — independent travel is allowed | Any open port in Hainan | Hainan Province only | 30 days |
| Cruise groups | Any foreign tourist group of two or more | Yes — organised and received by a China-registered agency | Cruise ship through one of 13 listed city ports; continue and leave on the same ship | Beijing + 11 coastal provinces: Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shandong, Shanghai, Tianjin and Zhejiang | 15 days |
| Xishuangbanna groups | Ordinary passports from these ten countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Group of two or more. | Yes — organised and received by a China-registered agency; enter and leave as a group | Gasa airport, Mohan railway or Mohan highway port | Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture | 6 days |
| Guilin groups | Ordinary passports from these ten countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Group of two or more. | Yes — organised and received by a China-registered agency; enter and leave as a group | Guilin airport | Guilin administrative region | 6 days |
| HK/Macao → Guangdong | Ordinary-passport tourist group of two or more from countries with diplomatic relations with China | Yes — group of two or more organised by an HK/Macao-registered agency; enter and leave as a group | After entering Hong Kong or Macao, use an open port in one of the 10 listed cities | Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shantou, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai | 6 days |
| HK/Macao → Hainan | Ordinary-passport tourist group of two or more from countries with diplomatic relations with China | Yes — group of two or more organised by an HK/Macao-registered agency; enter and leave as a group | Any open port in Hainan after entering Hong Kong or Macao first | Hainan Province | 6 days |
The ten-country list applies to both Xishuangbanna and Guilin. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are the nationalities named in the NIA notice. Do not infer eligibility for another nationality from ASEAN membership. A traveller outside that named list must verify a different entry basis.
Do not flatten the agency wording. Cruise, Xishuangbanna and Guilin require a group organised and received by a China-registered agency. The Hong Kong/Macao routes use an HK/Macao-registered agency and require group entry and exit.
Hainan: all 61 eligible countries
Ordinary-passport holders from these countries may use the 30-day Hainan policy for short visits such as tourism, business, visits, family visits, medical treatment, conferences and exhibitions, and sports competitions. Work and study are excluded.
- 01Albania
- 02Argentina
- 03Australia
- 04Austria
- 05Belarus
- 06Belgium
- 07Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 08Brazil
- 09Brunei
- 10Bulgaria
- 11Canada
- 12Chile
- 13Croatia
- 14Cyprus
- 15Czech Republic
- 16Denmark
- 17Estonia
- 18Finland
- 19France
- 20Germany
- 21Greece
- 22Hungary
- 23Iceland
- 24Indonesia
- 25Ireland
- 26Italy
- 27Japan
- 28Kazakhstan
- 29Kyrgyzstan
- 30Latvia
- 31Lithuania
- 32Luxembourg
- 33Malaysia
- 34Malta
- 35Mexico
- 36Monaco
- 37Montenegro
- 38the Netherlands
- 39New Zealand
- 40North Macedonia
- 41Norway
- 42the Philippines
- 43Poland
- 44Portugal
- 45Qatar
- 46the Republic of Korea
- 47Romania
- 48Russia
- 49Serbia
- 50Singapore
- 51Slovakia
- 52Slovenia
- 53Spain
- 54Sweden
- 55Switzerland
- 56Thailand
- 57Ukraine
- 58the United Arab Emirates
- 59the United Kingdom
- 60the United States
- 61Vietnam
The place names summaries usually omit
Beihai · Dalian · Guangzhou · Haikou · Lianyungang · Qingdao · Sanya · Shanghai · Shenzhen · Tianjin · Wenzhou · Xiamen · Zhoushan
The group may travel in Beijing and the 11 coastal province-level areas shown in the table, then leave on the same cruise ship.
Gasa International Airport · Mohan Railway Port · Mohan Highway Port
The group stays inside Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture for no more than six days.
Guilin airport
A group meeting the ten-country passport rule stays inside Guilin’s administrative region for no more than six days.
Dongguan · Foshan · Guangzhou · Huizhou · Jiangmen · Shantou · Shenzhen · Zhaoqing · Zhongshan · Zhuhai
Shantou is included even though it is not one of the nine mainland Greater Bay Area cities.
The arrival day itself is not day one. The row’s six-, 15- or 30-day maximum still controls.
Six worked cases
These examples apply current NIA rules. Match your passport, purpose, group arrangement, port and permitted area to the relevant policy row.
Case 1 — DEFAULT — US passport, beach holiday in Sanya
- Facts
- Ordinary passport · independent trip · Hainan only
- Result
- Use the Hainan 30-day policy. The United States is on the 61-country list, no group is required and any open Hainan port may be used.
- Boundary
- The stay remains inside Hainan; day one begins at 00:00 on the day after entry.
Case 2 — FAILURE — Hainan first, then Beijing
- Facts
- Same traveller · flight to Beijing after one week
- Result
- The Hainan permission does not cover Beijing. Use another valid basis for the wider mainland itinerary before booking it.
- Boundary
- Before booking Beijing, use the wider-policy checks and official links above. If no other basis is confirmed for the complete trip, apply for a visa or keep the trip within Hainan.
Case 3 — FAILURE — two friends and a cruise
- Facts
- Two independently booked cabins · no qualifying tour group
- Result
- Booking a cabin is not enough. The cruise policy requires a tourist group organised and received by a China-registered agency and the same-ship schedule.
- Boundary
- Do not rely on the exemption until the operator confirms the group arrangement in writing.
Case 4 — REVERSAL — a wider nationwide basis might fit
- Facts
- Ordinary passport · two-week trip · considering a mutual agreement for Hainan and other mainland stops
- Result
- Use the mutual-agreement check above: find the ordinary-passport category in the NIA table, then compare later MFA updates and the applicable agreement or embassy notice. A diplomatic-only row cannot qualify this passport.
- Boundary
- Confirm the agreement’s purpose, stay and any cumulative-stay condition before choosing it. An absent or unclear row is not clearance; use the visa fallback if no basis can be confirmed.
Case 5 — EDGE — arriving overland from Laos
- Facts
- Lao ordinary-passport group · Mohan Railway Port · Xishuangbanna
- Result
- The named port fits the six-day Xishuangbanna group policy; Laos is one of its ten named countries. The group must enter and leave together and stay inside Xishuangbanna Prefecture.
- Boundary
- A solo Lao traveller cannot use this group policy.
Case 6 — EDGE — Shantou is in
- Facts
- Qualifying group enters Guangdong from Hong Kong
- Result
- The official area is ten cities: the nine mainland Greater Bay Area cities plus Shantou. Entry and exit must use a port in those ten cities.
- Boundary
- The label Greater Bay Area is not a substitute for the published ten-city list.
Failure recovery
R1 — You want to leave the permitted area
- Trigger
- The itinerary adds a place outside Hainan, the ten Guangdong cities, Xishuangbanna, Guilin or the cruise area.
- First action
- Stop using the regional policy for that wider route.
- Alternative
- Use the wider-policy checks above and open the official source for the basis that might fit the complete route.
- Escalation
- If no basis is confirmed, use the visa-office links before travel. Already admitted under a regional permission? Contact public-security exit-entry or 12367 before travelling outside its area.
R2 — You cannot join a qualifying group
- Trigger
- Your policy row requires an agency-organised group but you are travelling independently.
- First action
- Use Hainan only if your passport is on its 61-country list and the trip stays in Hainan.
- Alternative
- Use the wider-policy checks and official links above for unilateral entry, a mutual agreement or genuine third-country transit.
- Escalation
- Use the visa-office fallback if no independent route is confirmed.
R3 — The operator cannot confirm the arrangement
- Trigger
- The operator will not confirm its registration, organising role, reception role where required, or group entry and exit.
- First action
- Ask for the exact policy name and the arrangement in writing.
- Alternative
- Use an operator that will state the required role and itinerary clearly.
- Escalation
- Do not rely on the exemption; obtain another entry basis.
R4 — Your stay is longer than you calculated
- Trigger
- The trip extends past the row’s six-, 15- or 30-day maximum.
- First action
- Recount from 00:00 on the day after entry.
- Alternative
- Shorten the trip or choose a wider valid basis before arrival.
- Escalation
- If an emergency requires more time, contact the public-security exit-entry authority before the period expires.
What this page cannot settle
- No official public lookup was found for a traveller to verify a specific agency’s registration or reception role.
- The notices do not publish a conversion process from a regional permission to another basis mid-trip.
- A changed cruise schedule can change the permitted route; confirm the actual sailing with the operator.
- Border inspection decides the actual admission using the documents, group and itinerary presented.
Your entry check
- Before booking a wider itinerary, use the wider-policy checks and direct official links; if no basis is confirmed, open the visa-office fallback
- Match the exact passport and nationality rule; Xishuangbanna and Guilin each name only Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
- Confirm the policy-specific agency and group requirement
- Match the named entry route
- Keep every stop inside the permitted area
- Count the stay from 00:00 on the day after entry
Common questions
Which nationalities can use the Xishuangbanna and Guilin group policies?
Both policies name Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Ordinary passports, a tourist group of two or more organised and received by a China-registered agency, and group entry and exit are required. The specified ports, area and six-day limit still apply. ASEAN membership alone does not add a nationality to the named list.
How do I check a mutual agreement if the local guide is unavailable?
Use the direct NIA agreement-details and updated MFA-list links in the wider-policy section. Match the ordinary-passport category, duration and notes; a diplomatic-only row does not qualify an ordinary passport. The NIA details are dated April 2025, so compare later official updates and the applicable agreement or embassy notice. If the basis cannot be confirmed, use the visa-office fallback before travel.
Can I enter Hainan visa-free and then fly to Beijing?
Not under the Hainan-only policy. Before arrival, use the wider-policy checks and direct official links on this page to confirm a different basis for the complete itinerary. A Hainan-to-Beijing domestic flight does not itself establish third-country transit. If no basis is confirmed, use the visa-office fallback or stay within a regional route you can verify. Do not assume a mid-trip conversion.
Can two friends organise their own cruise exemption?
The official policy requires a qualifying tourist group organised and received by a China-registered travel agency, plus the required cruise itinerary.
Do all five group policies use the same agency rule?
No. The cruise, Xishuangbanna and Guilin policies require a group organised and received by a China-registered agency. The Hong Kong/Macao routes require a group organised by an agency registered there and group entry and exit.
When does the six-, 15- or 30-day period begin?
For all six regional policies, the period is counted from 00:00 on the day after entry.
Last checked
We checked the claims displayed on this page against the linked official sources. Recheck sooner if a country list, threshold or filing channel changes.
Official sources
Rules change. Open the authority when your booking depends on a current decision.
Current English regional overview — six policies and 61-country Hainan listNational Immigration Administration ↗Current Chinese regional policy page — 61-country Hainan listNational Immigration Administration ↗Unilateral visa-free FAQ: current list, dates and permitted purposeMinistry of Foreign Affairs ↗Mutual agreement details: dated April 2025, compare later updatesNational Immigration Administration ↗Updated mutual visa-exemption agreement listMinistry of Foreign Affairs ↗Current transit conditions, ports and permitted areasNational Immigration Administration ↗Chinese embassies and consulates: official mission directoryMinistry of Foreign Affairs ↗Country and city selector for visa application centresChinese Visa Application Service Centre ↗Current unilateral visa-free country listNational Immigration Administration ↗