China Visa 2026: Exemptions, Tourist L Visa, Fees and Application

China has never been easier to enter than in 2026, at least for some passports. Since the announcement of 4 November 2025, the 30-day visa exemption granted to French citizens has been extended until 31 December 2026, and the visa-free list has grown further with the addition of Sweden (November 2025), then Canada and the United Kingdom (February 2026). But this spectacular opening is deeply unequal: almost all African nationalities still need the classic L visa, with an online form, submission at a visa centre or embassy and fees that vary by nationality. Good news for Ecuadorians, though: the 2016 bilateral agreement still lets them enter China visa-free. This guide covers it all: who is exempt, how the 240-hour visa-free transit works, and how to get the L visa step by step if you are not among the lucky ones.

China runs two parallel mechanisms: a unilateral 30-day exemption (extended to 31 December 2026 for 45 countries per the official notice of 4 November 2025, later joined by Sweden, Canada and the United Kingdom) and bilateral mutual exemption agreements with several states. Visa-free entry covers tourism, business, family visits, exchanges and transit, not work, study or journalism.

French citizens: visa-free entry with an ordinary passport valid for the whole stay, up to 30 days per stay. The Chinese embassy advises carrying proof of the purpose of your trip (flight tickets, hotel bookings, invitation letter); since 20 November 2025, you also fill in the arrival card online (see practical tips). Stays over 30 days still require a visa.

Ecuador: one of the few Latin American nationalities covered by a genuine bilateral agreement (in force since 18 August 2016), up to 30 days per stay. Important nuance: Ecuador now requires a visa from Chinese nationals (list published by Ecuador's foreign ministry), but on the Chinese side Ecuadorians are still listed as visa-exempt (list of the Chinese embassy in Colombia, November 2025). Double-check before departure.

Africa: the reality is stark: across the entire continent, only Mauritius and Seychelles enjoy an exemption (bilateral agreements: 60 days for Mauritius, 30 days for Seychelles). No African country appears on the 45+ unilateral list, and none is eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit. A Senegalese, Ivorian, Cameroonian or Moroccan traveller must therefore obtain a visa before departure: an L visa, or a transit (G) visa for an extended stopover.

Since December 2024, China allows a 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit for nationals of 57 countries (since 20 August 2026), provided they continue to a third country or territory (Hong Kong and Macao count as third destinations). The scheme covers 65 entry ports across 24 provinces and municipalities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Conditions: passport valid for at least 3 months, a confirmed ticket to a third destination within 240 hours, and an A → China → B itinerary (a Paris–Beijing–Paris round trip does not qualify as transit). Stays are limited to the authorised areas of the 24 provinces and municipalities in the scheme, and you may travel between them. For layovers in general, see our transit visa guide.

Who qualifies? The 57 eligible countries span Europe (including France: though the 30-day exemption is more generous, so the transit route matters mostly as a fallback), the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar and the UAE… but no African country, and not Ecuador (already exempt anyway). Like every nationality, an African traveller can stay up to 24 hours in direct transit without a visa, provided they do not leave the port of arrival and hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country; beyond that, a visa obtained before departure is required: a transit (G) visa or an L visa.

China's L visa is obtained by completing the application form online, then submitting your file at a Chinese visa centre (CVASC) or the Chinese embassy: 4 working days under the normal procedure in Paris.

The L visa is the standard tourist visa. Here is the 2026 procedure, with variations depending on where you apply:

1. Complete the application form online and upload your photo (in Senegal, on visaforchina.cn, together with your documents). An error in your name, date of birth or passport number leads to the application being rejected. Print the confirmation you receive by email.
2. Go to the competent CVASC (Chinese Visa Application Service Center), for example in Paris or Dakar, following its instructions; where there is no centre, applications go to the Chinese embassy or consulate.
3. Submit the file. Good news: in France, fingerprint collection is suspended until 31 December 2026 for all short-stay visas (stays of up to 180 days), according to the Chinese embassy's notice of 24 December 2025; someone else can then submit the file for you. D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas, which lead to a residence permit in China, still require fingerprints.
4. Pay and collect your passport: 4 working days under the normal procedure in Paris (3 days express, €21 extra); processing times vary by post.

The Chinese L visa fee depends on nationality: for a Schengen passport filed in France, €45 (reduced rate until 31/12/2026) plus the visa centre's service fee; for US citizens applying in the United States, $140; standard processing takes 4 working days in France.

Chinese consular fees vary sharply by nationality (reciprocity principle) and by application post. Concrete 2026 benchmarks:

The visa is free for Senegalese nationals applying in Senegal, on a reciprocity basis, since October 2017; the Chinese embassy in Dakar has also extended a temporary fee reduction for other nationalities until 31 December 2026. Elsewhere, check with the Chinese embassy in your country of residence: fees vary from post to post.

Processing: 4 working days under the normal procedure in Paris (3 days express); in the United States, express service lets you collect the visa on the second or third working day. The visa's validity and the length of each stay are printed on the visa: check them as soon as you receive it.

For the Chinese L visa, provide a passport valid for more than 6 months with a blank visa page, the online application form, a photo meeting Chinese requirements, round-trip flight and hotel bookings, or an invitation letter.

• Original passport valid for more than 6 months, with a blank visa page, plus a photocopy of the ID page.
• Application form completed online, and the printed confirmation.
• Photo meeting Chinese requirements, uploaded with the form (the Paris centre also asks for a photo when you submit).
• Round-trip flight booking.
• Hotel bookings, or instead an invitation letter from a company or individual in China, giving your identity, the dates and places of the visit, your relationship with the host, who pays the costs, and the host's name, address, phone number and signature.
• Depending on the post: proof of income (requested in Paris), proof of legal residence if you apply outside your country of nationality, and any other document the consular officer may request, possibly an interview.
• For minors: additional documents, to be checked with the centre.

Since 20 November 2025, foreigners fill in China's arrival card online; also install WeChat or Alipay before departure, as app payment is almost universal there, and be aware that some online services are blocked.

• Online arrival card: since 20 November 2025, foreigners (exempt or not) fill in the arrival card online before immigration, on the National Immigration Administration (NIA) website, the NIA's "12367" app or the WeChat and Alipay mini-programs; those unable to do so fill it in on arrival. Direct transits of 24 hours without leaving the restricted area are exempt.
• Payments: according to the Foreign Office, payment by app (WeChat, Alipay) is almost universal, and outside major cities bank cards are not always accepted and ATMs are limited. Install one of these apps before departure and keep some cash.
• Internet: the Chinese authorities control internet access; some services are permanently blocked, including YouTube and X, according to the Foreign Office, which notes that Chinese law requires online services such as VPNs to be licensed by the government.
• Accommodation: favour cancellable hotels to build the visa file without financial risk. Hotels register you with the police; in private accommodation, you must register with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours (Foreign Office).
• Supporting documents: even when visa-exempt, you may have to justify the purpose of your stay at the border; the Chinese embassy advises carrying flight tickets, hotel bookings or an invitation letter. Keep them as offline PDFs.

Is the 30-day exemption for French citizens extended in 2026? Yes. Announced on 4 November 2025 by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the extension runs until 31 December 2026 for France and all 45 countries on the unilateral list.

Does an Ecuadorian need a visa for China? No, thanks to the 2016 bilateral agreement: up to 30 days per stay. Ecuadorians are still listed as visa-exempt on the Chinese side, even though Ecuador now requires a visa from Chinese nationals.

Which African countries are exempt? Only Mauritius (60 days) and Seychelles (30 days), under bilateral agreements. Every other African nationality must apply for an L visa, and none qualifies for the 240-hour visa-free transit.

Can I extend my 30 visa-free days in China? In principle, no: for more than 30 days, apply before departure for the visa matching the purpose of your trip. In China, an application to the immigration authorities is only possible for a legitimate and justified reason, according to the Chinese embassy in France. The exemption does, however, allow multiple entries, with no limit on the number of entries announced so far.

Are fingerprints mandatory for the L visa? Not in France for now: fingerprinting is suspended until 31 December 2026 for all short-stay visas (stays of up to 180 days), and someone else can submit the file for you. Elsewhere, check the rule with the competent Chinese embassy.

How much does the L visa cost for a Senegalese or Ivorian applicant? For a Senegalese national applying in Senegal, the visa is free (reciprocity, since 2017): only the Dakar centre's service fee and, if used, the express fee remain. A national of another country applying in Dakar pays 21,500 XOF for a single entry. An Ivorian applying in Abidjan should check the rates of the Chinese embassy in Côte d'Ivoire. Detailed example by nationality: China visa for Togolese citizens; overview on our China country page.