China

China has no digital nomad visa, and none of its visa categories is built for remote work for an employer abroad. Most remote workers visit on visa-free stays or a tourist (L) visa. Living in China long term means a residence permit tied to a job with a Chinese employer, study or family.

30-day visa-free entry: ordinary passport holders of these 45 countries can enter without a visa for up to 30 days for business, tourism, visits to family or friends, exchanges and transit, through Dec. 31, 2026 (Chinese Embassy notice): France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Sweden was added from Nov. 10, 2025 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and the UK and Canada from Feb. 17, 2026 (State Council), all through the same Dec. 31, 2026 end date. Russian citizens have had 30-day visa-free entry since a trial began on Sept. 15, 2025. The United States isn't covered, so US citizens need a visa unless they qualify for transit entry. Separate mutual visa-exemption agreements cover some other countries, such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, on their own terms.

240-hour transit: nationals of 57 countries, including the United States, can stay up to 240 hours without a visa when traveling on to a third country or region. They need a confirmed onward ticket, enter through one of 65 open ports and stay within the designated areas (National Immigration Administration).

Tourist visa: other nationalities, and anyone who wants longer than the visa-free period, apply for an L visa through a Chinese embassy, consulate or visa center. The number of entries and the stay granted vary by mission and applicant.

The visa-free list is set to expire Dec. 31, 2026. Anyone planning a trip for 2027 should check for a new notice before booking.

Costs in China depend heavily on the city. Shanghai and Beijing are the most expensive places for a long stay, and rent drives most of the gap. Numbeo's crowd-sourced figures give a sense of scale, with dollar amounts at the Sept. 30, 2026 rate; treat them as rough guides.

• Shanghai: a one-bedroom apartment runs about CNY 7,050 a month in the center and CNY 3,950 outside it, and a single person spends about CNY 4,090 a month on everything else (Numbeo, updated Oct. 1, 2026). That's about CNY 11,140, or $1,660, with a central flat and CNY 8,040, or $1,200, farther out.
• Beijing: about CNY 6,280 for a central one-bedroom and CNY 3,490 outside the center, plus about CNY 3,930 in other costs (Numbeo, updated Sept. 25, 2026). Totals come to about CNY 10,210, or $1,520, central and CNY 7,420, or $1,110, outside.

Inland and smaller cities such as Chengdu, Kunming or Dali usually cost less than Shanghai and Beijing. Short-term serviced apartments and hotels cost more than long-lease averages, and long leases often need a deposit and local paperwork that short-stay visitors may struggle to provide.

Most foreign remote workers in China choose between the big coastal hubs and a handful of slower, cheaper places in the southwest:

• Shanghai: the most international city, with the largest expat community, the widest choice of coworking spaces and the highest rents.
• Beijing: the capital, with deep history, a strong tech and startup scene and cold, dry winters.
• Shenzhen: the hardware and tech hub next to Hong Kong, young and fast-moving, with modern infrastructure.
• Chengdu: a large inland city known for food and a relaxed pace, cheaper than the coastal hubs.
• Dali: an old town in Yunnan with mountain and lake views that has drawn a small community of long-stay creatives and remote workers.

English is less widely spoken outside the international districts of the big cities, so a translation app is worth having everywhere.

Raw speeds are high. The Speedtest Global Index put China's median fixed broadband speed at 237.55 Mbps and median mobile speed at 176.16 Mbps in August 2026.

The bigger issue is access. Many foreign services, including Google, WhatsApp and most Western social networks, are blocked or unreliable, and connections to sites outside China can be slow. Many short-term visitors use roaming data or an eSIM from a foreign carrier, which connects through networks abroad. Anyone whose work depends on blocked tools should test a setup before arriving.

Coworking spaces are plentiful in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and other large cities, from international chains to local operators, with day passes and monthly desks. Smaller towns have fewer spaces, and some cafes don't offer open Wi-Fi.

Under China's Individual Income Tax Law, an individual is tax resident if domiciled in China or present for 183 days or more in aggregate in a calendar year. Non-residents pay tax only on China-source income.

The catch for remote workers is the source rule. The State Council's implementing regulations treat pay for services performed in China as income from within China, generally wherever the payer sits. So time spent working from China isn't automatically outside the tax net just because the employer or client is abroad. Short stays usually raise few practical issues, but longer ones need a closer look, including at the tax treaty between China and the home country.

For foreigners who do become resident, the State Taxation Administration applies a six-year rule. Foreign income paid from abroad stays outside Chinese tax until someone has been resident for six consecutive years, each with 183 days or more in China and no single absence of more than 30 days. A shorter year or a longer trip abroad resets the count, and the exemption has to be claimed in a filing.

China has no special tax regime for remote workers. Anyone staying for months at a time should take advice from a tax professional.

• Check the entry route before booking: visa-free stays are limited to the purposes and nationalities in the official notices, and transit entry needs a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region (National Immigration Administration).
• Registration: hotels register foreign guests with the police automatically. Anyone staying in a private home or rental must register with the local police station soon after arriving.
• Payments: China runs on mobile payments. Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept many foreign cards, and setting one up before arrival saves trouble. Carry some cash, since foreign cards aren't widely accepted at small shops.
• Apps: a translation app, a map app that works in China and the 12306 rail booking app make daily life easier. Download them before arriving, since some app stores and sites are hard to reach from inside China.
• SIM cards: local SIMs need a passport for real-name registration. Foreign roaming and eSIM plans avoid that step for short stays.
• Health: international clinics in the big cities offer English-speaking care at high prices, while public hospitals are cheaper but busy and mostly in Mandarin. Health insurance that covers China is worth having.
• Air quality: it varies by city and season, with winter often worst in the north. An air-quality app helps plan outdoor time.