Hainan 30-Day Visa-Free Entry: The 61-Country Update for 2026
Hainan's regional visa-free list reached 61 countries on 20 August 2026. This update explains the Hainan-only boundary, eligible activities and booking checks.
Hainan's regional visa-free policy expanded to 61 countries on 20 August 2026, when Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added. For eligible ordinary-passport holders, it can support a stay of up to 30 days for specified short-term activities—but only inside Hainan.
What changed, and what did not
| Question | Answer after 20 August 2026 |
|---|---|
| How many eligible countries? | 61 |
| What was new? | Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added |
| Maximum stay? | 30 days |
| Where can you travel? | Within Hainan Province |
| Can you continue to Shanghai or Beijing on this permission? | No |
| Are work and study covered? | No; the appropriate visa is required |
The NIA's Hainan policy page contains the current list and conditions. The change was announced in the NIA's 20 August notice.
Who this policy is designed for
It is most useful when Hainan is the entire China portion of your trip. Typical plans include a beach holiday, a wellness stay, a family visit, a business meeting or an exhibition on the island.
The published scope includes tourism, business, visits, family visits, medical treatment, exhibitions and sports. Employment, long-term study and journalism require the correct visa even if the traveler is on the country list.
The geographic boundary in plain language
Haikou, Sanya and destinations elsewhere on the island can form one regional trip. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and every other Mainland destination lie outside the Hainan permission.
| Itinerary | Does the Hainan policy alone fit? |
|---|---|
| Singapore → Sanya → Singapore | Potentially, if all other conditions are met |
| Seoul → Haikou → Bangkok | Potentially, if all other conditions are met |
| Hanoi → Sanya → Shanghai → Hanoi | No; the Shanghai segment needs another entry basis |
| Haikou → Guangzhou by domestic flight | No; this leaves Hainan for Mainland China |
The policy's 30 days should not be read as a nationwide visa waiver. If you want an island stay plus Mainland cities, compare a visa, a nationality-based exemption or a separately compliant transit route before booking.
A better way to plan a Hainan stay
For a first visit of seven to ten days, use two bases rather than changing hotels constantly:
- Haikou for old streets, food, volcanic landscapes and a more local urban rhythm.
- Sanya or the southern coast for beaches, resort time and day trips.
Longer visits can add a central or eastern-coast stop, but keep transfer days realistic. Tropical weather can disrupt ferries, flights and outdoor plans, so leave the final night close to the international departure point.
What to prepare before departure
- Confirm your passport nationality on the current 61-country list.
- Check that your purpose is within the published short-stay categories.
- Use an open Hainan port and verify the operating international service.
- Keep your international departure booking within 30 days.
- Make every China accommodation booking inside Hainan.
- Save the first hotel address, itinerary and tickets offline.
- Check whether your airline has its own document-verification process.
The 30-day policy versus 240-hour transit
Hainan's scheme allows more time and does not depend on an A → China → C transit pattern. The tradeoff is its hard regional boundary. The 240-hour scheme can cover participating Mainland areas but requires a qualifying onward route, designated ports and a much shorter clock.
If you are choosing between them, read China visa-free entry explained. For evergreen Hainan planning, use our full Hainan 30-day guide.
Common questions
Can I enter Hainan from another Mainland city?
The Hainan permission itself does not authorize entry into Mainland China before reaching the island. Your full route needs a lawful basis from the first Chinese border you cross.
Can I switch to another exemption after arriving?
Do not design a trip around an assumed switch. Entry categories have distinct conditions, and changes require confirmation from the competent authority.
Is a hotel package enough?
No. A booking supports the itinerary but does not replace nationality, passport, purpose, port, stay-length and boundary checks.
Bottom line
The August update is genuinely useful for eligible Kyrgyz and Vietnamese travelers, but the safest planning sentence remains simple: enter Hainan, stay in Hainan, leave from Hainan within 30 days. If your plan cannot be described that way, identify another entry basis.
Turn the rule into a bookable itinerary
Start with the international legs, then choose one northern and one southern base. Keep the first booking flexible until the airline confirms how it processes Hainan visa-free passengers. Avoid a domestic connection that clears immigration in another Mainland city; the first Chinese border crossing matters.
Three days before travel, confirm the final airport codes, print the international departure booking and review every hotel address. If the itinerary has changed, delete outdated screenshots so that the document folder tells one consistent story. A traveler connecting through another Chinese city should pause and use Do you need a visa for China? to identify the entry basis for that first crossing.
Once on the island, keep the passport accessible for accommodation and ticketing. Ask the hotel about storm forecasts and transport disruption before moving bases, and protect the final night near the departure port. The extra buffer is valuable even when the immigration clock leaves several days unused.
Last verified: 9 September 2026. China Travel Pulse is independent and cannot guarantee admission.