Do China passport holders need a visa to visit KP?

Chinese ordinary passport holders need a visa (issued as a DPRK tourist card) to visit North Korea for tourism, and it can only be arranged through a state-authorized tour operator. Independent travel is not permitted. As of 2026, general tourist visas remain largely unissued while North Korea's borders have not fully reopened, though narrow visa-free exceptions exist for organized group day/short trips to Tongrim County and Sinuiju near the Chinese border. North Korea (DPRK) requires Chinese ordinary passport holders to obtain a visa for tourism. The visa is issued as a separate "tourist card" rather than a passport stamp, and is always processed by the inviting tour operator, not by the individual traveler. There is no eVisa, no visa-on-arrival for independent travelers, and no general visa-free entry. All tourism is state-controlled: you must book through an agency registered with the DPRK State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance (typically via a China- or foreign-based operator such as Koryo Tours or Young Pioneer Tours), and you are escorted at all times. Two narrow border-region exceptions exist for Chinese citizens in organized groups: a visa-free stay of up to ~2 days in Tongrim County and visa-free single-day trips to Sinuiju, which can be made on a Chinese ID card / simplified border pass rather than a full passport visa. These do not allow travel deeper into the country. Importantly, since the COVID-era closure, North Korea has only partially reopened: a brief Rason tourism window in February-March 2025 closed quickly, and as of early 2026 general tourist visas are not being broadly issued to Chinese (or most foreign) nationals, with only limited state-invited or business access reported. Travelers should confirm current availability directly with an authorized operator before making plans.