Do citizens of the Bahamas need a visa for China?
Last verified 9 October 2026 against official Chinese government sources.
Visa-free
No — citizens of the Bahamas can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit, under China's mutual visa exemption agreement. Work, study and journalism still need a visa.
All visa-free routes for passports from the Bahamas
| Route | Stay | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Mutual visa exemption | Up to 30 days Policy end: No end date announced |
| No | 240-hour visa-free transit | Not available |
| No | Hainan 30-day visa-free | Not available |
30-day visa-free entry: the conditions
- Ordinary passport from the Bahamas (not diplomatic or service).
- Purpose: business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit.
- No onward ticket to a third country is needed — round trips are fine.
- Stay is counted from 00:00 the day after you arrive. Example: arrive 1 November 2026 → leave by the end of 1 December 2026.
- 30 days is the general per-stay limit in the MFA table footnote; country-specific cumulative terms not confirmed. Ordinary passport; purposes per agreement (tourism, visiting family/friends, business, exchange, transit). Work, study, residence and journalism require a visa.
Source: lagos.china-consulate.gov.cn
Not covered by any visa-free route
Working, studying and journalism always require the matching visa, whatever your passport. Diplomatic and service passports follow separate rules.
FAQ
Do citizens of the Bahamas need a visa for China in 2026?
No — citizens of the Bahamas can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit, under China's mutual visa exemption agreement. Work, study and journalism still need a visa.
How long can I stay in China without a visa on a passport from the Bahamas?
Up to 30 days per entry, counted from 00:00 the day after you arrive.
Can citizens of the Bahamas use China's 240-hour visa-free transit?
No. The Bahamas is not on the list of 57 countries eligible for 240-hour visa-free transit.
Can I work or study in China without a visa?
No. Every visa-free route covers short visits only — tourism, business meetings, family visits and similar. Work needs a Z visa and study an X1 or X2 visa, obtained before you travel.