For B2B buyers from the Gulf and South America, the paperwork barrier to China has actually come down.
Under China's unilateral visa-free policy, ordinary passport holders from the countries on the list may enter China without a visa for business, tourism, visiting relatives, exchange visits or transit, staying no more than 30 days; the policy has been extended and is valid until 31 December 2026.
Indeed, for importers and wholesalers, this is the realistic window to schedule a Yiwu sourcing trip this season.
Which Countries Are on the 30-Day List
One thing to be clear about first: these 11 countries are not on the same arrangement.
Unilateral visa-free entry (9 countries):
- the four Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain;
- five South American countries: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay.
Mutual visa exemption agreement (2 countries): the UAE and Qatar — they are on a bilateral agreement, not China's unilateral policy.
The common conditions for the 11 countries are the same: an ordinary passport, business/tourism/visiting relatives/exchange visits/transit, and a stay of no more than 30 days.
Those who do not meet the visa-free conditions still need to obtain a Chinese visa before entry.
What If Your Market Is Not on the List
One common error to correct first: as of 17 February 2026, the 30-day unilateral visa-free list covers 50 countries, and the United Kingdom and Canada are on it; the United States and Singapore are not.
The UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Australia are already covered by 30-day visa-free entry, so for them visa-free transit is not an extra benefit (they are all on the 57-country visa-free transit list too).
The United States and Singapore are not on the 30-day list — if you are departing from those markets, you can ask a travel agency to look at a "transit" route.
How the 30 Days Are Counted
The stay starts counting from 00:00 of the day after entry.
In practice this means the day you arrive does not use up any of your 30 days — a buyer arriving on the 1st starts counting from the 2nd.
This affects how you plan the trip. A trip that has to cover a full factory audit, sample review and negotiation can be scheduled with more room than a three-day rush. Many of our buyers use it to link Yiwu with a second sourcing city, and then come back to Yiwu to settle terms before departure.
Do You Need an Invitation Letter
No. Entering China visa-free does not require an invitation letter.
The invitation letter is one of the supporting materials for an M (business) visa application and has nothing to do with visa-free entry. If you are entering visa-free, you do not need it for this purpose. If your situation requires a visa, apply through your own country's official channels.
What to Have Ready at the Border
Visa-free entry does not mean entry without inspection. Border officers may ask about the purpose of your visit and your onward itinerary.
A practical preparation list:
- a return or onward ticket — be ready to show that you have booked your departure arrangement;
- accommodation information — a hotel booking, or the address where you will stay;
- business background — a one-page brief: your company, what you buy, and which suppliers or trading partners you plan to see. This is the practical way to answer the "visiting for business" question;
- passport validity — check that the passport is in good condition and valid well beyond your planned departure date.