China Travel Guide

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Passports and Visas

Visa not required if coming for a stay of six days only if arriving from Hong Kong or Macao in order to take a trip to Zhujian Delta in Guangdong Province. Persons holding an APEC Business Travel Card do not require a visa, provided that it is valid for travel to China. Travel to Tibet will also require a special Tibet Entry Permit. All documents necessary for further travel and sufficient funds to cover intended period of stay are required. Period of validity is stated on visas, and care should be taken when reading dates on visas for China as they are written in year/month/day format.

Americans

US nationals require a passport and visa for entry to China.

UK Nationals

UK nationals require a passport and visa for entry to China. Passports endorsed British National (Overseas) are not recognized and holders should carry a 'Returning Resident Permit' together with their Hong Kong ID.

Canadians

Canadians require a passport and visa for entry to China.

Australians

Australians require a passport and visa for entry to China.

South Africans

South African nationals require a passport and visa for entry to China.

Irish Nationals

Irish nationals require a passport and visa for entry to China.

New Zealanders

New Zealand nationals require a passport and visa for entry to China.

Healthcare

There have been confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Mainland China. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers coming from infected areas. There is a risk of malaria throughout the low-lying areas of the country, and it is recommended that travelers to China seek medical advice before departure. A total of 18 human cases of avian influenza ('bird flu') have been reported from China since November 2005. Twelve of the cases were fatal. Travelers are unlikely to be affected by bird flu, but live animal markets and places where contact with live poultry is possible should be avoided. All poultry and egg dishes should also be thoroughly cooked. Outbreaks of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) are few and far between, although the last fatality was in 2008. Travelers are warned to remain vigilant against this viral disease. Japanese encephalitis has been responsible for the deaths of a number of people in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in northern China, and rabies infects people every year, occasionally causing death. Outbreaks of dengue fever occur. A variant of hand, foot and mouth disease, an intestinal virus has also been prevalent in 2008, with children being at particular risk. Altitude sickness can occur in the mountainous regions of Tibet, Qinghai, parts of Xinjiang, and western Sichuan. Outside city centers, visitors should only drink bottled water. Western-style medical centers with international staff are available in the major cities and usually accept credit cards. Health insurance is recommended.

Safety

China is generally safe, and there has been no evidence of a threat from global terrorism. Serious crime against foreigners is rare but does occur, particularly in isolated or sparsely populated areas. There has been an increase in the number of muggings and robberies at Beijing International Airport and the Jianguomenwai area of Beijing, as well as in Shenzen, bordering Hong Kong. If trekking alone, including following parts of the Great Wall, it is advisable to leave an itinerary and expected time of return with a third party. Travelers should take extra care in street markets and at tourist sites, which attract thieves and pickpockets, and around the popular expat bar areas at night where lone foreigners have recently been attacked. Travelers should be cautious about using pedicabs in Beijing, as tourists have been mugged and demands for money made by pedicab drivers; women in particular have been targeted. Seasonal heavy rains and typhoons cause hundreds of deaths in China each year, particularly those areas bordering the Yangtze River in central, southern and western China. Demonstrations took place in Lhasa, Tibet, as well as in some Chinese provinces in protest against Chinese rule in Tibet; although the situation seems to have stabilized, visitors are advised to stay up to date on the latest situation before travel.