240h
ENTRY / CONDITIONAL
Official ruleCan I visit visa-free?
Why ordinary visa-free entry, 240-hour transit and Hainan are three different answers.
READ GUIDE ↗MAXXING
NETWORK
newlychinese.com
All sites ↙ARRIVAL KIT / VERIFIED 30 AUG 2026
NEWLY CHINESE
BEFORE YOU FLY → FIRST 24 HOURS
Land ready, not overwhelmed.
Entry rules, essential apps, payments, connectivity and arrival tasks in the order a visitor actually needs them.
↓CURRENT EDITION
Start with
what’s real.
Every practical guide names its evidence type and review date. Editorial frameworks are labelled just as clearly.
06
PRE-FLIGHT
Official ruleEssential apps before you fly
Install, verify and test the small stack that handles money, rail, rides and arrival.
READ GUIDE ↗¥
MONEY
Official rulePaying in China
Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay, then keep a real card and cash fallback.
READ GUIDE ↗THE COMPLETE GUIDE DESK8 CURRENT GUIDES
01Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026Can I visit China visa-free?
Possibly—but first decide whether you mean ordinary visa-free entry, 240-hour transit or a geographically limited scheme.
↗02Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026Essential apps before you flyA small, deliberately prepared stack beats a phone full of recommendations you cannot log into when you land.
↗03Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026Paying in China as a visitorMobile payment is the practical default, but the resilient setup still includes two wallets, more than one card and cash.
↗04Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026The China pre-flight checklistTurn a changing entry rule into a paper trail: passport, dates, accounts, data and a first-night plan.
↗05Provider term · Reviewed 30 August 2026China eSIM, roaming, local SIM or Wi-Fi?Choose connectivity by device, local-number needs and your fallback—not by a blanket promise that every travel eSIM behaves the same way.
↗06Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026Your first 24 hours in ChinaA low-friction arrival sequence for the first ride, first payment, hotel check-in and the moment you need a backup.
↗07Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026Getting around China for the first timeUse the official tool for the move you are making, then keep a second route when a station, account or pickup point surprises you.
↗08Official rule · Reviewed 30 August 2026High-speed rail basicsUse the official 12306 workflow, keep the booking identity document with you and leave time for an unfamiliar station.
↗THE SIGNATURE MODULE
The arrival stack
Connectivity, money, maps, transport and language—sequenced by when you need them, not how intimidating they sound.