Who is exempt from a Chinese visa: Article 22 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law

2026-10-11

Article 15 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law requires a visa unless the Law provides otherwise, and Article 22 lists four circumstances in which foreigners may be exempt from applying for visas.

Under Article 22 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law (the Law), foreigners may be exempt from applying for a visa in four circumstances: visa exemption agreements, a valid foreigners' residence permit, transit under the conditions in item (3), and other circumstances stipulated by the State Council. Article 15 sets the general rule that foreigners must apply for a visa, and it allows exceptions only "as otherwise provided for in this Law." The quotations below are from the English text of the Law published by the National Immigration Administration.

The general rule in Article 15

Article 15 reads: "In order to entering China, foreigners shall apply to the visa-issuing authorities stationed abroad for a visa, except as otherwise provided for in this Law."

The exception clause points to the Law itself. Article 22 is the provision that sets out when foreigners may be exempt from applying for visas.

The four circumstances in Article 22

Article 22 begins: "Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners may be exempt from applying for visas:"

(1) So exempted based on the visa exemption agreements signed by the Chinese government with the governments of other countries;

(2) Hold valid foreigners' residence permits;

(3) Hold connected passenger tickets and are in transit to a third country or region by an international aircraft, ship or train via China, will stay for not more than 24 hours in China without leaving the port of entry, or will stay in the specific zones approved by the State Council within the prescribed time limit; or

(4) Other circumstances stipulated by the State Council in which visas may be exempted.

Item (1): visa exemption agreements

Item (1) applies to foreigners who are exempted "based on the visa exemption agreements signed by the Chinese government with the governments of other countries." Article 22 names no country, so the countries covered by these agreements cannot be found in the Law.

Item (2): valid foreigners' residence permits

Item (2) says "Hold valid foreigners' residence permits." Article 22(2) gives no further condition on the permit.

The Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom has its own guide, Part One: Visa for China (Mainland only). Item 5 of that guide reads:

"5) Holder of valid Residence Permit for Foreigners Holder of Foreigner's Permanent Residence Card of the P.R.C. and holder of valid Residence Permit for Foreigners issued by Chinese Public Security Bureau may stay in China and enter or exit China multiple times without the need of a visa during the validity period of the permit."

This is the wording of the embassy in the United Kingdom, and it applies to that guide only. The page carries a time stamp of 1 July 2020, so confirm the current text on the embassy's page before you travel.

Item (3): transit

Item (3) has two alternatives, joined by "or." The first is a stay of "not more than 24 hours in China without leaving the port of entry." The second is a stay "in the specific zones approved by the State Council within the prescribed time limit."

Both alternatives apply to travellers who "Hold connected passenger tickets and are in transit to a third country or region by an international aircraft, ship or train via China."

Article 22(3) names no specific zone and states no prescribed time limit for the second alternative.

Item (4): other circumstances

Item (4) refers to "Other circumstances stipulated by the State Council in which visas may be exempted." Article 22(4) names none of these circumstances.

Questions people ask

Does Article 22 name the countries that are exempt?

No. Item (1) refers to "visa exemption agreements" and names no country. Check the current position for your passport on the official page before you travel.

What does the embassy in the United Kingdom say about residence permit holders?

Its item 5 says that holders of a valid Residence Permit for Foreigners "may stay in China and enter or exit China multiple times without the need of a visa during the validity period of the permit." This wording comes from the embassy's own guide.

Does Article 22 give a time limit for transit?

Yes, for the first alternative in item (3): "not more than 24 hours in China without leaving the port of entry." Article 22(3) gives no time limit for the zones approved by the State Council, other than the "prescribed time limit" it refers to.

Planning suggestion (not a rule)

Before you plan a trip, write down which item of Article 22 you think applies to you. Then read the wording of that item and check your plan against it.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, any embassy, consulate or visa application service centre, and it is not legal or immigration advice. If the official text and the current notice of the office handling your case differ, the official text and that notice prevail.