If you are travelling to mainland China you will need a visa for entry. For information on applying for a visa from your country of origin, please visit The Chinese Visa Application Service Center and select your region and you'll be directed to the relevant Service Centre web page. From there you'll be able to download the appropriate visa application form and obtain detailed advice on the various types of visa applications that are possible.

72-hour visa-free transit through Beijing or Shanghai - Effective from 1st of January 2013, the Chinese Government has launched the 72-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens of 45 countries transiting through Beijing International Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport or Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. Visitors are advised to visit the official website of the Bureau of the Exit and Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security of P.R.C or call 0086-10-56095400 if you plan to transit through Beijing International Airport, or 0086-21-51105100 if you plan to transit through Shanghai Pudong or Hongqiao Airports. The countries that are eligible for the 72-hour visa-free transit policy are as follows: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

If you’re travelling to Hong Kong, visit the website of the Immigration Department of Hong Kong for further information regarding entry and visa requirements. Australian passport holders travelling to Hong Kong do not require a visa if their stay is less than 90 days. If you are travelling to Macau, check your visa and entry requirements by visiting The Macau Government's Tourism website. Australian passport holders travelling to Macau do not require a visa if their stay is less than 30 days. Travellers wishing to enter China, Hong Kong or Macau from countries other than Australia should consult the appropriate Consulate in their country of departure.

Please note there have been some changes regarding the documents that must be included in visa applications originating from Australia. These changes require:

• A completed visa application form with a passport photograph attached,
• Your passport with at least 6-month validity and at least 2 blank visa pages,
• A copy of the photo page of your passport,
• Applicants who have never been to mainland China must also provide a copy of another form of ID such as a driver's license, a previous passport etc. Applicants under the age of 16 are exempt,
• Applicants who previously have been granted a visa to enter China should provide copies of a recent Chinese visa with entry record. If the last entry was in a previous passport, copies of the previous passport and the entry details must be provided.

Foreign nationals who once held Chinese nationality or non-Australian passport holders wishing to apply for a visa to enter China should consult the The Chinese Visa Application Service Center for further information.