Do United Arab Emirates citizens need a visa for China?
No, United Arab Emirates citizens can visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days.
United Arab Emirates and China have a mutual visa exemption agreement. With an ordinary United Arab Emirates 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
- United Arab Emirates and China waive visas for each other’s ordinary passport holders, usually for up to 30 days per entry.
- United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates passports
Check your trip
240-hour visa-free transit, step by step
- Hold an ordinary United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates citizens need a visa for China?
No, United Arab Emirates citizens can visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days.
How long can United Arab Emirates citizens stay in China without a visa?
Up to 30 days per entry, counted from 00:00 on the day after you arrive.
Can United Arab Emirates citizens use 240-hour visa-free transit?
Yes. You need an ordinary United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates 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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