Visas & entry
Hainan 30-Day Visa-Free Entry 2026: The Complete 61-Country List
Short answer
Citizens of 61 countries can enter Hainan province without a visa for up to 30 days, through any of Hainan's open ports of entry, for tourism, business, visits, family matters, medical treatment, conventions or sports. The catch: you must stay within Hainan — this policy does not let you travel onward to Beijing or Shanghai. It matters most for nationalities NOT on the nationwide 50-country list, such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Indonesia.
How the Hainan policy differs from the nationwide one
China's headline visa-free policy covers 50 nationalities and lets them enter anywhere in the country. The Hainan policy is separate and regional: 61 nationalities, 30 days, but the entire stay must be inside Hainan province — the tropical island south of mainland China that includes Haikou, Sanya and the Duty-Free shopping zone.
Entry and exit must both happen through Hainan's open ports of entry (Haikou Meilan and Sanya Phoenix international airports, plus the cruise ports). You cannot fly into Sanya and fly out of Beijing on this policy.
Why it matters: five notable nationalities qualify for Hainan but not the nationwide 30-day policy — the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Indonesia (Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam joined both lists on 20 August 2026). If your passport is US or Canadian, a Hainan beach week is visa-free even though a Beijing trip is not.
The 61 countries (National Immigration Administration list)
Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added by NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026, effective 20 August 2026, bringing the total to 61. The authoritative enumeration is on the NIA's regional visa-free policy page.
Two lists are worth comparing side by side: the Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman) and Ecuador are on the nationwide 50-country list but NOT on Hainan's — irrelevant in practice, since the nationwide policy is strictly more flexible. The reverse gap is the one that matters: the US, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Indonesia are on Hainan's list only.
Europe (40)
- Russia, UK, France, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, Belarus
Americas (6)
- United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
Asia-Pacific, Central Asia & Middle East (15)
- Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar
The rules the airline checks
- Ordinary passport, 30 days maximum, counted from midnight of the day after entry.
- Allowed purposes: tourism, business and trade, visits, family and friends, medical treatment, conventions and exhibitions, sports competition. Not allowed: work, study, or journalism — those need a proper visa before you fly.
- Entry AND exit through Hainan's open ports. No side trips to the mainland — the activity range is the administrative boundary of Hainan province.
- Staying at a hotel: it registers you automatically. Staying with friends: register at a local police station within 24 hours of arrival.
- Check-in staff are the first gate — they verify your passport against the current list and can deny boarding. Carry a copy of the NIA announcement if challenged.
Three more regional routes in (for the record)
- Hong Kong/Macau-organized tour groups: citizens of any country with diplomatic relations can enter Hainan for 6 days when organized by a travel agency registered in Hong Kong or Macau, group in and group out.
- Cruise groups: foreign tour groups of 2+ arriving on cruises through 13 Chinese cruise ports (including Haikou and Sanya) can enter visa-free for up to 15 days along the coastal provinces and Beijing.
- Guilin and Xishuangbanna: ASEAN tour groups can visit these two areas for up to 6 days, group in and group out.
Related questions
Can US citizens enter China visa-free?
Not on the nationwide policy — the US is not among the 50 countries. But US citizens can enter Hainan province visa-free for up to 30 days under the Hainan regional policy, and can use the 240-hour visa-free transit when continuing to a third country. For Beijing, Shanghai or Xi'an, a US passport needs either the 240-hour transit route or a visa.
Can I enter Hainan visa-free and then travel to Beijing?
No. The Hainan policy confines your entire stay to Hainan province, and both entry and exit must be through Hainan's ports. To visit the mainland on the same trip you would need a qualifying nationwide policy (50-country visa-free or 240-hour transit) or a visa.
Which nationalities qualify for Hainan but not the nationwide 30-day visa-free policy?
Notably the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Indonesia. Most European and Gulf nationalities qualify for both policies, in which case the nationwide policy is more flexible since it covers the whole country.
How many countries can now enter Hainan visa-free in total?
After Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam joined on 20 August 2026, the regional Hainan policy covers 61 countries, and stacking it with nationwide policies means 88 nationalities in total can enter Hainan without a visa by some route.
Does the 30 days count the day I arrive?
No — the stay is counted from midnight of the day after entry, like the nationwide policy. Entering on the 1st gives you through the 30th.
Related guides
- China visa-free countries 2026: the complete 50-country list
- 240-hour visa-free transit: 57 countries and all 65 ports
- China travel policy updates 2026 (timeline)
- Visa-free entry: check your passport's route (guide)
- Do I need a visa for China in 2026?
Verified September 11, 2026. Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.
Official sources
- NIA: regional visa-free entry policies (61-country Hainan list)
- NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added (20 Aug 2026)
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