Do Vietnamese citizens need a visa for China?
Yes, for most trips. Vietnamese citizens can skip the visa only if they transit to a third country within 10 days (240-hour visa-free transit), or fly into Hainan and stay there, for up to 30 days.
Vietnam is not on China’s 30-day visa-free list, so a normal round trip needs a visa. Vietnam passports can use 240-hour visa-free transit and Hainan’s 30-day visa-free entry, which cover specific itineraries only.
Key facts
- Vietnam is not on China’s 30-day visa-free list and has no mutual visa exemption with China.
- Vietnam 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.
- Vietnam is one of 61 countries that can visit Hainan Province visa-free for up to 30 days.
- Visa-free entry never covers paid work, study or journalism.
- Verified against official Chinese government sources on 29 September 2026.
Visa-free options for Vietnam passports
Check your trip
240-hour visa-free transit, step by step
- Hold an ordinary Vietnam 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.
Hainan 30-day visa-free
Fly directly into a Hainan port such as Sanya or Haikou and you can stay up to 30 days, as long as you do not leave Hainan Province. Travelling on to the mainland needs a visa or another visa-free route.
If you need a visa
- L tourism · M business · Q/S visiting family · Z work · X study
- Apply online, then submit at a Chinese visa application centre. Allow about 1 to 2 weeks.
- Bring a passport valid for at least 6 months with blank pages, a photo, and your flight and hotel bookings.
Frequently asked questions
Do Vietnamese citizens need a visa for China?
Yes, for most trips. Vietnamese citizens can skip the visa only if they transit to a third country within 10 days (240-hour visa-free transit), or fly into Hainan and stay there, for up to 30 days.
How long can Vietnamese citizens stay in China without a visa?
Up to 10 days on 240-hour transit, or up to 30 days if you only visit Hainan. Any other trip needs a visa.
Can Vietnamese citizens use 240-hour visa-free transit?
Yes. You need an ordinary Vietnam 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 Vietnam does not.
Which visa do Vietnamese citizens need for a trip to China?
An L visa for tourism, an M visa for business, a Q or S visa to visit family, a Z visa for work and an X visa for study.
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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