Do China passport holders need a visa to visit NC?

Yes - a Chinese ordinary passport holder needs a short-stay visa to visit New Caledonia for tourism. New Caledonia is a French overseas collectivity (outside the Schengen Area), and China is not on its visa-exemption list. Apply at a French consulate in China before you travel. Narrow exemptions exist (organized group tours via an approved agency for up to ~15 days, transit under 24 hours, or if you already hold a valid multiple-entry French/Schengen visa), but independent tourists must obtain a visa. New Caledonia (Nouvelle-Caledonie) is a French overseas collectivity in the South Pacific. Although it is part of the French Republic, it is NOT in the Schengen Area and operates its own short-stay visa regime for the French overseas territories (territoires d'outre-mer). Nationals of the EU/EEA and around 50 visa-exempt countries (including Australia, Japan, Canada and the USA) can enter for up to 90 days without a visa, but Chinese (PRC) ordinary passport holders are NOT on this exemption list and therefore require a short-stay visa for tourism. The visa is issued by French consular authorities in China and must specify validity for New Caledonia / the French overseas territories. A few exceptions apply: Chinese tourists on an organized trip booked through an approved travel agency may enter visa-free for up to about 15 days; travelers transiting for less than 24 hours are exempt; and holders of a still-valid multiple-entry French (Schengen-type) visa may in some cases use it. For an individual Chinese tourist traveling on their own, the conservative and correct answer is that a visa is required. As of 2026-05-30 there is no unilateral visa-waiver, eVisa, visa-on-arrival or ETA channel available to ordinary Chinese passport holders for independent travel to New Caledonia. Apply well in advance through the French consulate or its authorized visa center (e.g., VFS Global) covering your region of residence in China.