Entry Requirements & Travel Visas
| Package: | Best of China & Yangtze River Cruise |
Entry requirements are provided for your convenience. However, unless otherwise stated, it is your responsibility to determine the requirements that apply to you and your trip and to comply with them, including obtaining any necessary visas or other travel documents by the required deadlines and carrying them with you. Especially with COVID-19, requirements are subject to change, so check back for the latest before you depart.
U.S. citizens must have a visa for entry into China. China visas must be obtained prior to departure.
China Entry Requirements
Advice from Friendly Planet
U.S. passport holders must have a visa to enter China, obtained prior to arrival. Applications must be submitted through a fee based visa service such as our preferred provider, Visa HQ, or in person at the China Embassies or Consulates in the United States. See the U.S. Dept. of State website for more information.
We will send a visa support letter and instructions for U.S. passport holders to obtain your visa through VISA HQ after you have completed your registration form and made your final payment, approximately 60 days prior to departure. Please apply for your visa only after receiving this letter.
Advice from our partner Sherpa
Hong Kong Entry Requirements
Advice from our partner Sherpa
General Requirements & Guidelines
Advice from Friendly Planet
- In general, you must have a passport to travel abroad, which should be valid for at least six months after your return date. Passports expiring before then should be renewed as soon as possible. Passports contain at least 2 blank pages for each country visited. If your passport does not have this many pages, obtain a new passport as soon as possible.
- If your passport and visa are not in order, airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding, countries may deny entry, and your trip may be disrupted. Travel insurance may not cover such losses.
- Any changes in names or passport information should be reported to us immediately. Airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding if the name on your passport does not match your tickets.
- Minors (age 17 or younger) departing and/or returning to the U.S. without parents or with only one parent may be required by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to present a notarized parental consent letter and/or unabridged birth certificate (more information). Many other countries have similar entry requirements, especially for minors traveling with a parent/guardian with a different surname; check with the consulates of all countries you'll be visiting to learn more.