MANDATORY ARRIVAL CARD
China has officially introduced a new digital arrival card for foreign visitors, replacing the traditional paper form. Launched on 20 November 2025 by the National Immigration Administration (NIA), the system aims to simplify border entry procedures and enhance the overall travel experience.

Global Visa Lab is here to help you complete the digital arrival card correctly and on time for your trip.

China has extended its visa-free travel policy until 31 December 2026. This aims to boost international tourism and strengthen global engagement, allowing eligible travellers to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa. Under the extended policy, citizens of 46 countries are now eligible for visa-free entry, including Sweden, which was added to the list on 10 November 2025. The visa-free policy will remain in effect until the end of 2026. Eligible travellers may enter China for business, tourism, family visits, cultural or educational exchanges, or transit.

Countries eligible for visa-free travel to China
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay.

From September 2, 2024 to December 31, 2025, the Embassy of China in Switzerland exempts all applicants who apply for single or double-entry short-term visas (stay in China for no more than 180 days) from fingerprints collection.

Besides, exemptions for the fingerprint requirements are still granted to:
I. Applicants under the age of 14 or over 70;
II. Applicants holding a diplomatic passport or eligible for application of diplomatic, service or courtesy visa of China;
III. Applicants who have had fingerprints collected and have obtained Chinese visa with the same passports within 5 years;
IV. Applicants with all ten fingerprints unable to be collected.

The total cost of a China visa usually consists of the visa fee charged on behalf of the Chinese Embassy/ Consulate-General, and the application service fee charged by the Visa Application Center. The visa fees and service fees vary according to your nationality, the number of entries, and service options (regular service, express service & urgent service).
Please refer to the comprehensive price guide below to find out the cost of a China Visa.

Schedule of Fees

A visa typically takes three or four working days to process if all the accompanying documents meet the requirements.

Service options provided by the Visa Centre (in the case of all the required documents are provided):

1. Normal service: The processing time is usually 4 working days.

2. Express service: The processing time is usually 3 working days.

3. Urgent service: The processing time is usually 2 working days.

As an Swiss or EU national, you do not need a visa to travel to Hong Kong for less than 3 months. This also applies to Macao. Similar regulations apply to citizens of Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay and the USA, among others.

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced on December 17, 2024, the immediate relaxation of its visa-free transit policy. The stay duration for eligible foreign nationals has been extended from 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days).

Additionally, 21 new ports of entry and exit have been added, expanding options for travelers.

Citizens from 54 eligible countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Switzerland and many European nations, can now enter visa-free through 60 ports in 24 regions while traveling from China to a third country, with a maximum stay of 240 hours.

Yes, you are allowed to travel to China with both, your old and new passports. However, if there have been any changes to your name or other biographical information on your new passport, you must obtain a new Chinese visa.

Please find below the price list for passport return shipments within Switzerland.

Price List Return Shipments