To attend the Canton Fair as a buyer you need two things: a free buyer badge, obtained by pre-registering online, and the right to enter China, which for most EU citizens in 2026 means simply travelling on a valid passport under the 30-day visa-free policy. This guide covers each step for the 140th session (15 October to 4 November 2026) and what to do if your nationality is not covered.
Key takeaways
- Buyer pre-registration is free and open year-round on the official Canton Fair website.
- Pre-registered buyers collect their badge free of charge at the airport, Guangzhou South station, Pazhou Ferry Terminal, partner hotels, the Hong Kong office or the venue.
- The badge is personal: each person in your team must register with their own passport and email address.
- Ordinary passport holders from 50 countries, including France and most EU states, can stay in China up to 30 days visa-free for business, until 31 December 2026.
- Travellers not covered can use the 240-hour visa-free transit policy with an onward ticket to a third country, or apply for an M business visa.
- China's online arrival card, launched in November 2025, can be completed before landing to speed up immigration.
How does Canton Fair registration work?
Registration happens on the official Canton Fair buyer service system (accessible from cantonfair.org.cn). You can do it months in advance; registering at least four weeks before the fair leaves time to fix any rejected document.
- Create a buyer account with a professional email address and choose the overseas buyer category.
- Enter your full name, nationality and passport number exactly as printed in your passport.
- Upload a passport scan and a recent passport-style photo on a white or light background.
- Add company details: company name, address, website, your job title and a scan of your business card.
- Select the product categories you want to source and, if offered, your planned phase.
- Submit and wait for the confirmation email, usually within a few days.
- Save your registration receipt or QR code on your phone and print a paper copy.
Small mistakes cause most delays: a name that does not match the passport, a blurry photo or a personal Gmail address with no company website. Use your company domain if you have one.
Where and how do you collect the badge?
Once in Guangzhou, bring your passport and registration confirmation to a badge pickup point. For the 140th session, the organisers list several alternative offices besides the venue itself:
| Pickup point | Best for |
|---|
| Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport | Collecting on arrival before going to the hotel |
| Guangzhou South Railway Station | Buyers arriving by high-speed train from Hong Kong or Shenzhen |
| Pazhou Ferry Terminal | Buyers arriving by ferry from Hong Kong |
| Designated partner hotels | Avoiding queues on the first morning |
| Canton Fair Hong Kong Representative Office | Buyers transiting through Hong Kong |
| Registration counters at the Pazhou complex | Last-minute collection |
The badge is a reusable IC card linked to your buyer account, so keep it for future sessions; you will still need to confirm your attendance online for each new edition. Losing it usually means a replacement fee at a service counter. Do not lend your badge: entrances use facial recognition or photo checks.
How much does it cost?
| Item | Cost |
|---|
| Online pre-registration | Free |
| Badge collection after pre-registration | Free |
| On-site registration without pre-registration | Reported around RMB 100-200 |
| Badge replacement | Small fee, varies |
| M business visa (if needed) | Varies by country and service centre |
Do EU citizens need a visa in 2026?
Most do not. Under China's unilateral visa-exemption policy, holders of ordinary passports from the following EU countries can enter for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges or transit: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Non-EU European countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom are also on the list.
Key points:
- The stay counts from 00:00 on the day after entry, so you effectively get 30 full days.
- The policy has been extended until 31 December 2026, so it fully covers the autumn session.
- Czechia and Lithuania did not appear on the National Immigration Administration list published in February 2026. Citizens of those countries should check current rules with the Chinese embassy.
- Visa-free entry does not allow paid work in China. Attending a trade fair, visiting factories and negotiating are standard business activities.
Rules can change at short notice, so check the official list a few weeks before departure.
What if your nationality is not covered?
240-hour visa-free transit. Citizens of more than 50 eligible countries can stay up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa if they arrive from one country and fly on to a different third country or region. Hong Kong and Macao count as third regions, which makes a route like Paris - Guangzhou - Hong Kong - Paris possible. You must hold a confirmed onward ticket, enter through an eligible port (Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an Airport and several Guangdong ports qualify) and stay within the permitted provinces; all of Guangdong is included.
M business visa. Apply at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in your country four to eight weeks before departure. You typically need a passport valid for more than six months, the application form, a photo, an invitation letter, flight and hotel bookings, and sometimes a company letter.
How do you get a Canton Fair invitation letter?
The invitation letter is only needed for the M visa. After approval in the buyer system, an invitation letter can usually be downloaded from your account. Some buyers report that the system now issues letters more selectively, especially to new accounts. If yours is refused:
- ask an exhibitor or supplier you already work with for a business invitation including your passport details and travel dates;
- contact the Canton Fair buyer service with your registration number;
- avoid buying letters from unknown agencies, which can cause visa rejections.
What else should you do before landing?
- Complete the online arrival card via the NIA 12367 app, the immigration web portal or a WeChat or Alipay mini program. Paper cards are still available if you forget.
- Check that your passport has at least six months of validity and two blank pages.
- Save your hotel address in Chinese characters for immigration and taxis.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card and install an eSIM.
Our China business trip survival kit explains payments, apps and connectivity in detail, and the first-visit checklist gives you a printable to-do list.
How Cina helps
Registration and visa are only the starting point; the real work is knowing which booths to visit. Cina's premium Canton Fair guide in Cina resources includes a pre-departure timeline and document checklist. You can also use the supplier directory to shortlist exhibitors and request invitation letters from suppliers you already know. For the full trip overview, start with our Canton Fair 2026 complete guide.
Conclusion
For a French or other EU buyer, attending the 140th Canton Fair has rarely been simpler: free online registration, a free badge collected at the airport and visa-free entry for up to 30 days until the end of 2026. Register early, double-check your passport details and confirm the visa-free list for your nationality. If you are not covered, the 240-hour transit option or an M visa remain straightforward alternatives.
