Policy Overview
Tourists from 59 can countries enjoy a visa-free stay of 30 days in Hainan. Individuals from these countries can enter Hainan without a visa through various means such as booking through travel agencies, invitation and reception by organizations (institutions, organizations, or entities), or self-declaration (upon arrival at the airport or port of entry in Hainan, individuals can declare their intention to visit and provide any necessary information directly). The scope of activities is limited to Hainan Province, with entry and exit through all open ports in Hainan, and a maximum stay of 30 days.
Key Points
- Duration of Visa-Free Stay: Visitors from the 59 designated countries can only engage in activities within the administrative region of Hainan and are allowed a stay of up to 30 days, starting from midnight on the second day after entry.
- Work or Study for Visa-Free Entrants: Currently, the visa-free entry to Hainan for individuals from the 59 designated countries is limited to tourism purposes. Future steps will focus on optimizing visa-free entry for purposes such as business and non-leisure purposes, for example, family reunions, medical reasons, exhibitions, and sports, excluding work or study. Visa-free entrants are not allowed to work or study.
- Travel to Mainland or Extended Stay in Hainan Beyond Visa-Free Period: For those wishing to travel to the mainland or extend their stay in Hainan beyond the visa-free period, they need to apply for a stay permit from the public security immigration management department.
Applicable Conditions
Foreign nationals holding passports from the following 59 countries:
Russia, UK, France, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, USA, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Indonesia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Brunei, UAE, Qatar, Monaco, Belarus.
Application Scenarios
Scenario 1: A US citizen, plans to travel to Hainan, one of the 59 visa-free countries. However, there are no direct flights from New York to Hainan. How should they plan their itinerary to enter Hainan under the visa-free policy?
Answer: Since the visa-free policy requires entry through Hainan, it is recommended that the US citizen fly from the US to Hong Kong and then proceed to Hainan to take advantage of the 59-country visa-free policy.
Scenario 2: A Russian citizen, is entering Hainan for the first time under the 59-country visa-free policy and wants to understand the legal obligations of visa-free visitors in Hainan.
Answer: Visa-free visitors from the 59 countries can stay in Hainan for 30 days and must not exceed the authorized stay period or travel to other areas in China without approval. They are required to register accommodation within 24 hours of arrival at hotels in Hainan and provide their passport for registration. For accommodation outside hotels, registration must be done within 24 hours by the individual or the host with the local public security authorities.
Scenario 3: An Australian citizen enters Hainan through the visa-free policy for tourism and wishes to continue traveling to mainland China. The Australian citizen wants to know if it’s allowed and what procedures need to be followed.
Answer: After entering through the 59-country visa-free policy, if the Australian citizen wishes to travel to other regions in mainland China, they must apply for visa documents from the public security immigration management department. They can submit travel plans and itineraries to the local public security immigration management department for a stay permit before proceeding.
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