To facilitate international travels, many countries exempt each other’s citizens from visa requirements. The following foreign nationals are granted visa-free entry into mainland China:

1.  Holders of passports issued by countries which have entered into a mutual visa exemption agreement with the Chinese government. At present, China has mutual visa exemption agreements with fifty-three countries, including Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela. Under such agreements, holders of non-private ordinary passports, such as diplomatic passports and service passports, are allowed to enter mainland China without visas.

2.  International passengers in immediate transit through China on international connecting flights are exempted from transit visas, if they stay in the transit city for no more than twenty-four hours and do not leave the airport; if they need to leave the airport, they are required to obtain a permission issued by the border inspection station.

3.  Foreign crew members of vessels and their accompanying family members on international voyages who wish to come ashore during the vessel's call at a Chinese port and who will not travel beyond the port city shall apply for a landing permit from the border inspection station; and those who wish to stay ashore overnight shall obtain an overnight stay permit (this rule is not applicable to those planning to travel beyond the city and those who are unable to exit onboard their original vessels).

4.  Citizens of Russia, Byelorussia, Turkmenistan and Moldova who visit China in tourist groups are exempted from visas.

5.  Citizens of Japan, Singapore and Brunei holding regular passports can be granted a visa-free stay in China for up to 15 days.