Emirati passport holders do not need a visa for China for stays of up to 30 days, under a mutual exemption in force since 16 January 2018. Saudi, Omani, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and most European passport holders can also enter visa-free for 30 days, under a unilateral policy that runs until 31 December 2026. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and American passport holders still need a visa. From Dubai, you apply online and then submit your passport at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Wafi Mall. The visa fee for most nationalities is AED 102 for a single entry.
This guide covers who is visa-free, the fees by nationality, the two-step application from Dubai, and the dates to watch before the end of 2026.
Key Takeaways
- China decides by passport. A UAE residence visa does not make you visa-free.
- UAE citizens are visa-exempt for up to 30 days for entry or transit, under a bilateral agreement with no end date.
- Saudi, Omani, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Australian, New Zealand, Japanese, Korean and most EU passport holders are visa-free for 30 days until 31 December 2026.
- British and Canadian citizens have been visa-free for 30 days since 17 February 2026, also until 31 December 2026.
- Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Jordanian, Lebanese and US passport holders need a visa.
- The single-entry visa fee is AED 102 for most nationalities and AED 510 for US citizens. Express service costs AED 90 extra.
- Short-stay applicants are exempt from fingerprinting until 31 December 2026.
- In Dubai, apply online first, then submit your passport at the visa center in Wafi Mall. No appointment is needed once your online review is approved.
Who Can Visit China Without a Visa?
Two separate policies cover visa-free entry, and only one of them is permanent.
UAE citizens: a bilateral exemption
Under an agreement between the two governments, UAE nationals with ordinary passports can enter or transit through China without a visa and stay up to 30 days. Emiratis staying longer, or traveling for work, study, journalism, family reunion or a long family visit, still apply for a visa.
Other passports: a unilateral policy that ends on 31 December 2026
China also lets ordinary passport holders from a list of countries enter visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, transit or exchanges. The Chinese Embassy in the UAE’s notice extends it to 24:00 on 31 December 2026. British and Canadian citizens were added from 17 February 2026, according to the Chinese Consulate-General in Toronto.
| Passport | Visa for a visit of up to 30 days? |
|---|---|
| UAE | No (bilateral exemption) |
| Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain | No, until 31 December 2026 |
| UK, Canada | No, from 17 February to 31 December 2026 |
| France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden and most other EU countries | No, until 31 December 2026 |
| Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Norway | No, until 31 December 2026 |
| Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay | No, until 31 December 2026 |
| India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Philippines | Yes |
| Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Nigeria, Kenya | Yes |
| United States | Yes |
Qatar is not on the embassy’s unilateral list. Qatari passport holders should check with the embassy before traveling. If your trip falls in 2027 and you rely on the unilateral policy, check for a further extension before you book. Without one, you will need a visa.
China Visa Fees in the UAE
The Chinese Embassy has extended its reduced fees until 31 December 2026. These are the current fees in dirhams:
| Passport | Single entry | Double entry (6 months) | Multiple entry (6 months) | Multiple entry (12 months or more) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most nationalities | AED 102 | AED 153 | AED 203 | AED 304 |
| UAE citizens (longer stays) | AED 113 | AED 169 | AED 225 | AED 338 |
| US citizens | AED 510 | AED 510 | AED 510 | AED 510 |
| Canadian citizens (longer stays) | AED 222 | AED 222 | AED 222 | AED 222 |
Express service adds AED 90 per visa. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard only, and cash is not accepted. The embassy notes that fees for some nationalities differ on the principle of reciprocity, and it lists separate rates for Romanian, Argentine, Brazilian and Panamanian citizens. The visa center’s own service charges are separate and were not published on the pages checked. Its optional VIP services, such as form filling and lounge access, are listed at AED 210 each.
How to Apply for a China Visa From Dubai
The Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Dubai uses a two-step process. Its published procedure is:
- Create an account on the Dubai center’s website and confirm that Dubai is the selected location.
- Complete the online application form and upload your passport, photo and supporting documents. Click Submit on the payment page, or the application stays Pending. You do not pay online.
- Wait for the online review. If something is missing, you get an email and the status shows Rejected. Fix it and resubmit. When the review is complete, the status shows Approved and you receive a “Visa Application Certificate” by email. This is not visa approval.
- Visit the center with your documents. No appointment is needed once you have the certificate. Bring the certificate, the signed application form, your original passport and any old passport, and printouts of everything you uploaded. Applicants with more than one nationality must bring all their valid passports.
- Pay and collect. Pay the fee at the center by card, then collect your passport when it is ready.
If your uploaded photo is rejected, bring two color photos taken within the last 6 months, on a white background and without a hat, sized 48 mm by 33 mm. The center warns that a passport with less than 6 months of validity risks refusal, and its form asks for at least 2 blank pages. It also recommends applying about 3 months before you travel to China. Fingerprints are not needed for now: the embassy exempts all short-term applicants staying under 180 days until 31 December 2026.
Visa center details
| Item | Dubai center |
|---|---|
| Address | Wafi Mall, Ground Floor, Phase 5 (Horus), Unit 548, Umm Hurair 2, Dubai |
| Open | Monday to Friday. Closed on weekends and public holidays |
| Submission | 9:00 to 15:00 |
| Collection | 9:00 to 16:00 |
| Phone | +971 4 379 5381 |
These details are from the center’s contact page. Bags, laptops and other electronics are not allowed inside, and there is nowhere to store them, so bring only your documents in a plastic folder. Companions are not admitted. If you live outside Dubai, use the “Other Centers” menu on the visa center website to find the one that serves your emirate. Diplomatic and official passport holders apply at the Chinese Consulate in Dubai, not the visa center.
Before You Travel
- Make sure nothing in the UAE stops you leaving by checking your UAE travel ban status online.
- Adding a stop elsewhere in Asia? See our guides to the Japan visa from Dubai and the Vietnam visa for UAE residents.
- Hong Kong and Macao have their own visa rules. Hong Kong residents in the UAE can read our guide for Hongkongers in the UAE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do UAE residents need a visa for China?
It depends on your passport. Emiratis and holders of passports on China’s unilateral visa-free list can visit for up to 30 days without a visa. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and US passport holders need one. A UAE residence visa does not change this.
Do Emiratis need a visa for China?
No, for stays of up to 30 days. UAE nationals with ordinary passports have been visa-exempt since 16 January 2018 under a bilateral agreement.
Do Indians in Dubai need a China visa?
Yes. Indian passport holders apply online through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Dubai and then submit their passport at Wafi Mall. A single-entry visa costs AED 102.
How much is a China visa in Dubai?
For most nationalities, AED 102 for a single entry, AED 153 for a double entry and AED 203 or AED 304 for multiple entries. US citizens pay AED 510. Express service costs AED 90 extra. These reduced fees run until 31 December 2026.
Do British citizens in Dubai need a visa for China?
Not for visits of up to 30 days between 17 February and 31 December 2026. British and Canadian citizens were added to China’s unilateral visa-free policy for that period.
Do Saudis need a visa for China?
No, for stays of up to 30 days until 31 December 2026. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain are on China’s unilateral visa-free list.
Do I need an appointment at the China visa center in Dubai?
No. Once your online review is approved and you receive the Visa Application Certificate by email, you can submit without an appointment.
Do I need to give fingerprints for a China visa in the UAE?
Not until 31 December 2026, if you are staying in China for less than 180 days. Applicants for D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas still give fingerprints.
Official Sources
- Embassy of China in the UAE: Visa Exemption for UAE Nationals
- Embassy of China in the UAE: Extension of the Unilateral Visa-Free Policy
- Consulate-General of China in Toronto: Visa-free Policy for Canada and the UK
- Embassy of China in the UAE: Extension of Visa Fee Reduction Measures
- Embassy of China in the UAE: Fingerprint Collection Exemption
- Chinese Visa Application Service Center Dubai: Online Application Procedure
- Chinese Visa Application Service Center Dubai: Office Hours and Location
Visa-free policies, fees, the fingerprint exemption and the Dubai application procedure checked on the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, Chinese Consulate-General in Toronto and Chinese Visa Application Service Center websites in October 2026. The visa center’s own service charges, standard processing times and China’s 240-hour visa-free transit list were not checked for this guide. The unilateral visa-free policy, the reduced fees and the fingerprint exemption all expire on 31 December 2026 unless extended.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Chinese visa rules and fees are set by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and are subject to change. Always verify current requirements with the relevant official authority before proceeding with any application or transaction.
