VisaBulgarian visitors to China should check the 31 December waiver deadline and lodging rules
Current guidance retains a 30-day ordinary-passport exemption through year-end, while private accommodation can now be registered online nationwide.
Official source date: 2026-10-30
Edited and checked by the VisaWand editorial team
The year-end date concerns the existing visa waiver
Bulgarian ordinary-passport holders arranging winter travel to China should distinguish the end of the current visa-waiver policy from the duration of an individual visit. China’s embassy in Sofia published its extension notice in November 2025, retaining qualifying visa-free visits through 24:00 on 31 December 2026. This is a current deadline guide, not a new October extension or confirmation of a waiver continuing into 2027.
The embassy notice covers business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchanges and transit, for stays of no more than 30 days. It identifies Bulgaria among the covered nationalities. A Bulgarian resident travelling on a different country’s passport must check that passport’s own eligibility rather than assume Bulgarian residence confers the same exemption. The Sofia notice is the direct resource for the Bulgarian passport category and published policy endpoint.
Work, study and longer plans require a different assessment
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry China guidance similarly identifies the ordinary-passport exemption and directs travellers seeking a longer stay or travelling for another purpose to obtain an appropriate Chinese visa in advance. Use its embassy information to identify the relevant consular contact before booking a journey that depends on a different immigration category.
That distinction affects an employee sent to perform work as well as a student planning a course: a short business meeting and an employment assignment should not be treated as interchangeable simply because both involve a company. The reviewed sources do not confirm an automatic 2027 extension or settle every itinerary entering near midnight on the policy’s final date. Travellers planning across that boundary should obtain current confirmation from the Chinese mission before relying on the exemption.
Count the stay and carry purpose-specific evidence
China’s embassy visa-waiver FAQ, updated in August 2026, says the 30-calendar-day stay is calculated from the day after entry. It recommends evidence consistent with the journey, such as invitations, air tickets and accommodation reservations, and confirms that border authorities still examine the purpose of entry. Prepare those documents even though there is no consular visa application for an eligible visa-free visit.
The FAQ requires an ordinary passport valid for the intended stay and excludes other travel documents, including temporary or emergency documents, from this ordinary-passport waiver. It applies the same waiver conditions to minors. It also says a traveller who already plans more than 30 days should apply for the corresponding visa beforehand; someone needing additional time after visa-free entry for appropriate reasons must seek a stay permit from the local exit-entry authority. Neither situation establishes an automatic extension.
Private accommodation has an online registration route
China’s National Immigration Administration announced nationwide online registration for foreign nationals staying outside hotels from 21 September 2026. That procedural improvement is separate from visa eligibility. The existing rule requires the visitor or host to complete accommodation registration within 24 hours of arrival, while hotels report their own foreign guests under hotel-registration rules.
The September announcement preserves the option to register with local public-security authorities in person and says online registration has the same legal effect. A Bulgarian traveller staying with relatives or in another non-hotel residence can therefore plan to use the official digital channel, without assuming that the absence of a hotel reception removes the reporting obligation. Arrange the host’s assistance before arriving, especially for an evening or weekend check-in.
Check the completed record rather than only starting an account
The NIA’s separate implementation guidance explains the practical online process. Visitors or hosts can use the government service platform, NIA 12367 app, WeChat mini program or Alipay mini program. Following account registration and identity verification, use the Accommodation Registration module under Foreigner Service, then consult Registration Record Inquiry to check the resulting record.
The guidance recommends host assistance for initial registration because the host knows the property details. It directs users with difficulties to the official online guide, the 12367 enquiry service or a local police or exit-entry office. It also warns that failure to register may lead to a warning and a fine. No visa-application charge is created by using the visa exemption; separate visa or stay-permit charges, where needed, must be checked for that category. The two immediate deadlines are the permitted visit’s end and the 24-hour lodging report, each requiring its own action.
