Effective February 2025
The 59-Country Visa-Free Policy in Hainan originated from China’s drive to deepen reform and opening-up, with key background points:
- Evolutions: Upgraded from earlier group-tour policies (21 countries in 2000 → 59 countries in 2018), expanded in 2024 to include business, medical, and sports purposes.
- Hainan’s Development: Aims to boost tourism, attract international visitors, and support the Hainan Free Trade Port by facilitating foreign talent and industry growth.
- Openness Agenda: Reflects China’s commitment to openness, enhancing Hainan’s global visibility and demonstrating confidence in its development model.
1.Eligible Countries:
| Continent | Countries | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | Russia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, 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 | 34 |
| Americas | United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile | 6 |
| Asia-Pacific | Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar | 13 |
| Others | Monaco, Belarus | 2 |
2.Policy Details:
2.1.Entry Requirements:
Ordinary passport holders from the listed 59 countries may enter Hainanwithout a visa for short-term purposes including: Tourism, business, visits, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions, sports competitions (Excluding work or study purposes).
2.2.Geographical Limitation:
Activities are restricted to Hainan Province only.
2.3.Ports of Entry/Exit:
All open ports in Hainan, including: Haikou Meilan Airport, Sanya Phoenix Airport, Qionghai Boao Airport, Yangpu Port, Haikou Port, Qinglan Port, Basuo Port, Sanya Port, etc.
2.4.Duration of Stay:
Maximum 30 days per entry (calculated from 00:00 the day after arrival).
2.5.Transportation Methods:
Permitted via commercial flights, chartered flights, or cruise ships.
2.6. Important Notes
- Travelers cannot proceed to other Chinese regions without obtaining additional visas.
- Those requiring longer stays must apply for extensions at Hainan’s Exit-Entry Administration before expiry.
- Policy supersedes previous 2024 versions with expanded entry purposes.
3. All entry types to Hainan for foreigners
Currently, there are three policies applicable for foreigners to enter Hainan visa-free: 59-Country Visa-Free, Visa-Exemption (Bilateral Agreements), and Visa-Free Nationwide (Unilateral Waivers). Details are as follows:
| Policy | Countries Covered | Duration |
| 59-Country Visa-Free Policy | Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA | Up to 30 days |
| Visa-Exemption (Bilateral Agreements) 18 countries not in the 59-country policy | Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Maldives, Mauritius, San Marino, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Tonga, Uzbekistan | Varies according to the specific agreements |
| Visa-Free Nationwide (Unilateral Waivers) 8 countries not in the 59-country policy | Andorra, Bahrain, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Uruguay | Up to 30 days |
4.Refer to official announcements:
