# LongStay China

> Practical, sourced, dated answers for foreign nationals who want to spend 6–9 months a year in mainland China — legally, affordably, and with access to medical care. Written for retirees and long-stay visitors from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Western Europe and the United States. Not a relocation agency; a reference site.

Editorial rules we follow: every number is dated and traceable; visa rules are quoted as written by the issuing authority; we do not use the phrase "retire in China" because no such visa category exists.

## Pages

- [Home / How to legally stay in China for 6 to 9 months a year](https://longstay.8v.hk/): the three legal routes, their stay limits, how each one resets, and what it costs per month.

## Key facts

- 50 countries currently hold unilateral visa-free entry to mainland China: 30 days per entry, unlimited entries. The scheme is legislated through 31 December 2026 and is renewed year by year — treat any date beyond that as unconfirmed.
- Visa-free entry cannot be extended inside China. An L visa can be extended by 30 days inside China.
- Leaving mainland China for Hong Kong or Macao resets the 30-day visa-free clock. It is free and legal. Doing it as same-day turnarounds three or four times in a row is what triggers refusal of entry.
- The 240-hour transit visa-free scheme works differently and cannot be used this way — it requires onward travel to a third country.
- A US citizen's L visa is typically 10 years, multiple-entry, 60 days per stay, issued outside China only.
- A record of six months or more of hospital or medical treatment in China is one of the least-known paths to a one-year residence permit.
- Foreign individuals may own only one home in China for their own use, and generally need a year of prior work or study in China to qualify.
- Staying more than 183 days in a calendar year generally makes you a Chinese tax resident.
- The Hainan 59-country visa-free scheme is separate, includes the United States, permits medical treatment as a purpose, and is restricted to Hainan province with entry through eight designated ports.

## Contact

Email list signup and questions: see the form on the home page.

## Disclaimer

This site is reference material, not legal, immigration or medical advice. Rules change without notice and enforcement varies by port of entry. Verify anything decision-critical with the Chinese embassy or visa centre in your own country before you travel.