Entering China: the three minimum items
Passport, visa (or visa-free eligibility), and a flight itinerary.
But "enough" depends on what you are coming for and how long you stay.
Passport: how long must it stay valid?
Many people get this one wrong.
The official position of Chinese border control (National Immigration Administration, reply of 2024-10-15): "as long as the passport is still within its period of validity on the day of entry or exit, it is a valid document for entry and exit".
In other words: China does not require "six months remaining".
But three things to watch:
| # | Who may ask for six months |
|---|---|
| 1 | Airlines (they may refuse boarding) |
| 2 | Transit countries (when you pass through them) |
| 3 | Your passport's issuing country (some require it themselves) |
So the practical advice: if your passport has less than six months left, renew it before you book — not because China will keep you out, but because an airline may stop you at the boarding gate.
Visa, or visa-free?
First check whether your country is on the visa-free list (see the visa article).
| Situation | What to bring |
|---|---|
| Visa-free countries (50) | Passport + return/onward ticket (checked often on visa-free entry) |
| 240-hour transit visa-free (57 countries) | Passport + connecting ticket (onward to a third country) |
| Visa required | Passport + valid visa + invitation letter (if the visa requires one) |
⚠️ The most common reason visa-free travellers are stopped: no onward ticket.
Invitation letter: who issues it, and when you need one
For a business visa (M visa), most embassies and consulates require an invitation letter.
The invitation letter comes from your Chinese partner (your Chinese supplier or partner). It usually needs to contain:
- The invitee's name and passport number
- The purpose of the visit
- The dates of the trip
- The inviting company's details + company seal
⚠️ One trap: the dates on the invitation letter must match your visa application form. If they differ, you will be asked about it.
What else should you bring?
Four items, depending on your case.
| Document | When it is needed |
|---|---|
| Return/onward ticket | Checked often on visa-free entry; mandatory for transit visa-free |
| Hotel booking | The arrival card asks for an address; some ports look at it |
| Itinerary | On a business visit you may be asked "what are you here for" |
| Chinese contact details | The arrival card asks for them; you need them if you are questioned |
What will you be asked on entry?
Three questions. If you can answer them, you are fine.
| Question | How to answer |
|---|---|
| "What are you here for?" | Say "business visit / sourcing", not "tourism" (as a visa-free tourist you will be asked about your itinerary) |
| "Where are you staying?" | Hotel name + address (printed out) |
| "How long are you staying?" | Give a specific number of days; do not exceed what the visa or the visa-free entry allows |
⚠️ One principle: what you say must match your documents. Say seven days and hold a ticket for thirty days later, and you will be asked about it.
How to prepare your documents (in practice)
Five steps.
- Passport: check the validity (renew first if under six months)
- Visa / visa-free: check whether your country is on the list
- Flights: book a return (checked for visa-free and transit)
- Hotel: book the first night (the arrival card asks for it)
- Print: print one copy of everything (it saves you when your phone dies)
Why print: the arrival card is filled in by hand, so what is on your phone has to be copied across; and when border control asks, paper is faster than scrolling a phone.
One thing people overlook: what is on your phone
Can your phone be checked on entry?
Chinese border inspection has a legal basis (the Exit and Entry Administration Law), but the chance that an ordinary business traveller's phone is checked is very low.
Practical advice:
- Do not carry documents you do not need (trade secrets, sensitive material)
- Keep on your phone: the hotel address, your Chinese contact, the return ticket
⚠️ What not to do: do not delete your chat history (deleting it looks more suspicious, not less).
Sources (2026-11-02)
| Item | Nature | Source | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| China does not require six months remaining (valid on the day of travel) | ✅ Official | National Immigration Administration reply (2024-10-15) | 2026-11-02 |
| 50 visa-free countries, 57 transit visa-free countries | ✅ Official | National Immigration Administration list | 2026-11-02 |
| Visa-free entry checks the onward ticket | ⚠️ Common practice | Border inspection practice | 2026-11-02 |
| The invitation letter is issued by the Chinese partner | ⚠️ Common practice | Requirements differ by embassy | 2026-11-02 |
| The three questions on the arrival card | ⚠️ Experience | Traveller feedback | 2026-11-02 |
| A phone may be checked (there is a legal basis) | ✅ Verifiable | Exit and Entry Administration Law | 2026-11-02 |
⚠️ Visa document checklists differ from one embassy to another: follow the Chinese embassy or visa centre in your own country.
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