Do Singaporeans need a visa for China?
No, Singaporeans can visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days.
Singapore and China have a mutual visa exemption agreement. With an ordinary Singapore passport you can stay up to 30 days per entry for tourism, business or family visits, entering at any port open to foreigners. You still need a visa to work, study or stay longer.
Key facts
- Singapore and China waive visas for each other’s ordinary passport holders, usually for up to 30 days per entry.
- Singapore passport holders can use China’s 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit when flying on to a third country through one of 65 designated ports.
- Visa-free entry never covers paid work, study or journalism.
- Verified against official Chinese government sources on 29 September 2026.
Visa-free options for Singapore passports
Check your trip
Common Singapore itineraries
- Singapore → Shanghai → Singapore, 14 daysNo visa
Mutual visa exemption, up to 30 days per entry.
- Singapore → Beijing → Tokyo, 7 daysNo visa
Mutual visa exemption, up to 30 days per entry.
- Singapore → Chengdu → Singapore, 45 daysVisa needed
Longer than 30 days. Every visa-free route is capped at 30 days or less.
- Singapore → Sanya (Hainan) → Singapore, 10 daysNo visa
Mutual visa exemption, up to 30 days per entry.
- Singapore → Shanghai → Singapore, February 2027, 20 daysNo visa
Mutual visa exemption, up to 30 days per entry.
240-hour visa-free transit, step by step
- Hold an ordinary Singapore passport valid for at least 3 more months.
- Book a confirmed onward ticket, with date and seat, to a third country or region leaving within 240 hours. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan count.
- Arrive at one of the 65 designated ports, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing and Xiamen airports.
- Tell the airline at check-in and the border officer on arrival that you are using 240-hour transit, and fill in the arrival card.
- Stay within the permitted areas of the 24 provinces covered. You may leave from a different designated port.
The clock starts at 00:00 on the day after you arrive. A flight back to where you came from does not count as transit.
Frequently asked questions
Do Singaporeans need a visa for China?
No, Singaporeans can visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days.
How long can Singaporeans stay in China without a visa?
Up to 30 days per entry, counted from 00:00 on the day after you arrive.
Can Singaporeans use 240-hour visa-free transit?
Yes. You need an ordinary Singapore passport valid for at least 3 months, and a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region leaving within 240 hours. Enter and leave through any of the 65 designated ports, and stay within the permitted areas of 24 provinces. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan count as a third region; a flight back to Singapore does not.
Can I work in China without a visa?
No. Visa-free entry only covers tourism, business meetings, family visits, exchanges and transit. Paid work needs a Z visa, study an X visa and journalism a J visa.
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