Entering China: Proof of exit required if leaving by land?

Hi there, In November, we're heading off on a 4-month trip. We'll be landing in China and plan to leave the country via a land border into Vietnam. I’ve read that China may ask for proof of exit within 30 days (flight ticket or other reservation). Since we’d be leaving by land, I’m wondering how this works in practice. Has anyone here been in this situation recently?

Did the airline ask for an exit ticket before boarding? Did Chinese authorities require proof upon arrival? Is a train/bus ticket to Vietnam sufficient? Is a cancelable or flexible reservation accepted?

Thanks for sharing your experiences! 😊

Hello,

If you have a round-trip ticket to/from China, they won’t ask for anything. However, if it’s a one-way ticket or a return from another country, they *will* ask for proof of exit from China within 30 days at check-in before departure. We had booked bus tickets from Nanning to Hanoi—we left at noon and arrived around 8 PM. A bus takes you to the border to exit China, then they transport you by golf cart to the site where you complete formalities to enter Vietnam. You keep your luggage with you the whole time. After that, you need to find the Vietnamese bus that takes you to Hanoi. It’s the same ticket, but the process can be disorienting because the area is huge. When arriving in China, they asked us for the exit ticket once but not other times, so it really depends on the agent. Better to have it just in case. You should buy your bus ticket through an online agency. We used this one—no issues, and they’re responsive if you have questions. Prices are good, and they speak French too. www.circuitschine.com

Hi Patrick, and thank you so much for this super detailed experience report—it’s really helpful! I just have one small clarification to ask, if you don’t mind: What type of passport/nationality did you have during this trip? The reason I’m asking: I’m Belgian, and China currently offers a unilateral visa exemption for Belgians (30 days). I wanted to check if your situation was similar (visa exemption, not a transit visa or a regular visa). This will help me figure out if your experience applies directly to my case. Thanks again for your valuable help!

Hi there,

French passport. No visa needed for up to 30 days—just make sure to count both the entry and exit days within those 30.

Thanks and have a good evening...

Hi there,

My experience dates back to February 2026.

I entered China by bike via the Sino-Vietnamese land border crossing at Lào Cai / Hekou under the 30-day visa exemption scheme.

At the border, the Chinese authorities didn’t ask me for anything. Not far from the border, I was stopped at 3 checkpoints, plus one check by a patrol. Again, no request for any proof of exit. However, the Chinese police were keen to know the exact purpose of my stay in China.

I left the country via the Sino-Laotian land border crossing at Mohan / Boten.

Otherwise, the website of the Chinese Embassy in France doesn’t mention the requirement for proof of exit from the territory: https://fr.china-embassy.gov.cn/fra/zgzfg/zgsg/lsb/202511/t20251113_11752805.htm

My travel journal for my stay in Yunnan is here: https://voyageforum.com/forum/compte-rendu-periple-dans-yunnan-velo-d11466713/

Same as Pierlu: I went to China last summer with a French passport under the visa exemption, and they didn’t ask me for any proof of exit within 30 days.