Do you need a China visa?
Good news first: around 50 countries now enter China visa-free for stays up to 30 days, through December 31, 2026 — far more than most families realize. Here's what it means for the trek, by where your passport is from.
Families with any member needing a visa pay no deposit. Submit your application before the Early Bird deadline to lock the rate, apply for your visas, and pay one full family payment only after approval. If a visa is denied, you've paid us nothing.
Singapore 🇸🇬, Malaysia 🇲🇾, Australia 🇦🇺, New Zealand 🇳🇿, the UK 🇬🇧, Ireland 🇮🇪, Canada 🇨🇦, Japan 🇯🇵, South Korea 🇰🇷, Thailand 🇹🇭, Indonesia 🇮🇩, Vietnam 🇻🇳, Brazil 🇧🇷, the UAE 🇦🇪, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦, Qatar 🇶🇦, Türkiye 🇹🇷, and most of the EU (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and more) — all enter China visa-free for up to 30 days, through December 31, 2026. The trek is 4 nights: bring a passport valid 6+ months beyond your return and you're set. Full list below.
India is not on the visa-free or transit lists, so each traveler needs an L visa. Applications open ~3 months before departure: from Aug 11 for the November cohort, from Sept 2 / 9 / 27 for December cohorts. And here's our promise: you pay us nothing until your visa is approved — no deposit, one full payment after approval. Apply first to lock the Early Bird rate, then start your visa.
The US is not on the 30-day visa-free list, but US passport holders qualify for China's 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit: arrive from one country, depart to a different one (e.g., fly in via Singapore, out via Tokyo). The 4-night trek fits comfortably. Prefer certainty? A regular L visa also works. (Canada is on the 30-day visa-free list — Canadians don't need this.)
Check the lists below or your local Chinese embassy. If you need an L visa, the timeline and pay-after-approval terms above apply to you.
The 30-day visa-free list
Per China's National Immigration Administration (verified August 2026; policy currently runs through December 31, 2026 — which covers every trek cohort):
See the visa-free countries
Asia-Pacific: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei.
Europe: the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, and several smaller European states.
Americas: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, plus Canada (added February 2026).
Middle East: UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Türkiye.
This list changes as China adds countries — always confirm your passport on the official page linked below before booking flights.
The 240-hour (10-day) transit option
55 nationalities can enter China visa-free for up to 240 hours when transiting to a third country or region — most relevantly the United States, which isn't on the 30-day list. (Many others on the transit list, like Canada, Australia, and Singapore, are already fully visa-free and don't need it.) The rules:
- Your flight into China departs from one country, and your onward flight leaves China for a different country or region. US → Beijing → Seoul works (then home from Seoul); so does US → Beijing → Hong Kong, since Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan count as separate regions for this policy. A short family stopover on the way home does the trick.
- You'll show your onward ticket at immigration and receive a temporary entry stamp.
- 240 hours = 10 days, so the 4-night trek fits with room to spare.
See the 240-hour transit countries
Americas: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand.
Asia & Middle East: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, Qatar, Indonesia.
Europe: 40 countries including the UK, Ireland, all major EU states, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, and others.
Applying for a tourist (L) visa
- When: applications open about 3 months before travel — from Aug 11, 2026 (November cohort) or Sept 2 / 9 / 27 (December cohorts). Start as soon as your window opens, and no later than one month before travel.
- How long it takes: once submitted, consulates typically process in ~4 business days (express service: 2–3 days for a small extra fee). The full journey — the online COVA application form, an appointment, and passport handling — realistically takes a few weeks, which is why we say start early.
- What it costs: fees vary by nationality. US citizens currently pay a reduced $68 (normally $140) for a 10-year multiple-entry visa when applying directly at a consulate — reduced pricing runs through Dec 31, 2026; visa application centers (CVASC) add service fees on top. Check your local consulate's fee table for other nationalities.
- Do you need an agent? Usually not. If you live near a Chinese consulate or visa application center, applying yourself is straightforward: fill in the COVA form online, book an appointment, drop off your passport. Paid agents mostly earn their fee when you live far from a center and need mail-in logistics.
- What you'll need: passport (6+ months validity beyond return), photos, itinerary and hotel details — we provide trek confirmation documents for your application.
- Our pay-after-approval promise: families with any member needing a visa pay no deposit. Submit your application before the Early Bird deadline to lock the rate, apply for your visas, and pay one full family payment only after approval.
• National Immigration Administration of China — visa-free and transit policy announcements
• China Consular Service (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — visa requirements and applications
• Your local Chinese embassy or visa application service center (CVASC)
Visa policy changes frequently. This page was last verified in August 2026 against the official sources above; always confirm your own passport's status before booking flights. Questions? [loading]