China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Complete Guide

China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy allows eligible travelers to enter China without applying for a visa in advance when they are traveling onward to a third country or region.

The policy can give qualifying travelers up to 240 hours — 10 days — in China.

But there is one important point:

This is a transit policy, not a general 10-day visa-free holiday for every traveler.

Your nationality, route, entry port, onward ticket and travel area all matter.

This guide explains how to work out whether your itinerary qualifies.

---

The Short Version

You may qualify for China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy if:

• You hold an ordinary passport from an eligible country
• You are traveling from one country or region, through China, to a third country or region
• You have a confirmed onward ticket with a departure date and seat
• You enter through one of the designated ports
• You remain within the permitted travel area
• You leave China within the permitted 240-hour period
• Your purpose is an eligible short-term activity such as tourism, business, visiting or transit

As of August 20, 2026, the policy covers:

• 57 nationalities
• 65 designated entry ports
• 24 provincial-level regions
• A maximum stay of 240 hours / 10 days

---

The Most Important Rule: A → China → B

The easiest way to understand the policy is:

Country or region A → China → Country or region B

A and B must be different.

For example:

Potentially eligible

Tokyo → Shanghai → Paris

You enter China from Japan and continue to France.

Potentially eligible

London → Beijing → Seoul

You enter from the United Kingdom and continue to South Korea.

Not normally eligible

Tokyo → Shanghai → Tokyo

You arrive from Japan and return directly to Japan.

That is not onward transit to a third country or region.

---

It Is Your Immediate Route That Matters

Do not look only at your overall holiday.

Immigration is interested in the route immediately before and after China.

For example:

London → Tokyo → Shanghai → Paris

For the China transit portion, the relevant route is:

Japan → China → France

not:

United Kingdom → China → France

Likewise:

Paris → Shanghai → Seoul → Paris

the relevant route for entering China is:

France → China → South Korea

Your nationality determines whether you are eligible for the policy.

Your flights determine whether you are actually in transit.

---

Which Nationalities Are Eligible?

As of August 20, 2026, nationals of 57 countries are eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.

Europe

• Albania
• Austria
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Netherlands
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russia
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom

Americas

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• Mexico
• United States

Oceania

• Australia
• New Zealand

Asia

• Brunei
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Qatar
• Singapore
• South Korea
• United Arab Emirates
• Vietnam

If your country is not listed, do not assume that another visa-free policy cannot apply to you.

China also has unilateral visa exemptions, bilateral visa-exemption agreements, 24-hour transit rules and regional visa-free policies.

Read next: Do I Need a Visa for China? 2026 Guide

---

You Need an Ordinary Passport

The policy applies to eligible nationals holding ordinary passports.

Other types of travel documents may be subject to different rules.

Your passport must also be valid for your journey and acceptable for entry.

If you hold more than one nationality, check eligibility using the passport you will actually present when entering China.

---

You Need a Confirmed Onward Ticket

You need onward transportation to a third country or region.

Official rules require a confirmed onward ticket with a specified:

• Departure date
• Itinerary
• Seat, where applicable

This might be an:

• International flight
• International train
• International passenger ship

depending on the ports and route involved.

An intention to “decide where to go later” is not enough.

Have your onward booking available when you arrive.

---

Do You Need to Fly on One Ticket?

The important requirement is that you have confirmed onward travel meeting the transit rules.

Do not assume that your flights must necessarily appear on a single airline booking simply because the policy is often described using the term “interline ticket.”

What matters in practice is that immigration authorities can verify your eligible onward itinerary.

If you are using separate tickets, unusual routes or self-transfers, confirm your specific situation before departure.

This is especially important if:

• You need to collect and re-check baggage
• You change airports
• You use different airlines
• You have separate booking references

---

How Long Can You Stay?

The maximum permitted stay is 240 hours, equivalent to 10 days.

But do not simply assume:

“My flight lands Monday, so I can leave exactly 240 hours later.”

Immigration authorities determine the authorized stay under the policy.

Check the entry endorsement or temporary entry permission you receive and make sure your departure is within the permitted period.

If your itinerary is close to the maximum, leave yourself a margin rather than scheduling your departure at the last possible moment.

---

Where Can You Enter China?

As of August 2026, the policy applies through 65 designated ports of entry across 24 provincial-level regions.

These include major international gateways in places such as:

• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Tianjin
• Hebei
• Liaoning
• Jiangsu
• Zhejiang
• Fujian
• Shandong
• Henan
• Hubei
• Hunan
• Guangdong
• Guangxi
• Chongqing
• Sichuan
• Yunnan
• Shaanxi

and other eligible regions covered by the current policy.

Entry ports include a mixture of:

• International airports
• Railway ports
• Seaports
• Land or bridge crossings

Do not assume that every international airport or border crossing in China participates.

Check your exact entry port before booking.

---

Can You Enter Through One City and Leave Through Another?

In many eligible regions, yes.

One of the major advantages of the expanded 240-hour policy is that qualifying travelers may travel within designated permitted areas and, where policy rules allow, enter and exit through different eligible ports.

For example, some permitted regions connect several neighboring provinces or municipalities.

That can make itineraries such as:

arrive in one city → travel overland → leave from another

possible.

But this depends on the permitted stay area attached to your entry port and region.

Do not assume that an open-jaw itinerary is automatically valid nationwide.

---

You Cannot Travel Anywhere in China

This is one of the most common misunderstandings.

The 240-hour policy does not automatically give every traveler unrestricted access to the entire country.

You must stay within the area permitted under the policy.

Some eligible regions allow extensive cross-regional travel.

Others are more limited.

Before planning a side trip, check whether the destination is included in the permitted stay area associated with your entry.

---

Example: Beijing Transit

The Beijing area participates in the policy as part of the wider Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region.

An eligible traveler can potentially enter through a designated port in the region and travel within the permitted Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei area before departing through an eligible port.

That gives you much more flexibility than simply staying inside Beijing city.

But it does not automatically mean you can take a train to Xi'an or Shanghai.

---

Example: Shanghai Transit

Shanghai is one of the most practical gateways for the policy.

Eligible travelers can use designated ports in the region and travel within the permitted area associated with the Shanghai–Jiangsu–Zhejiang region.

This can make itineraries combining destinations such as:

• Shanghai
• Suzhou
• Hangzhou

particularly practical.

Always verify the current permitted area and eligible entry/exit ports before booking.

---

Example: Guangdong Transit

Guangdong's eligible port network has expanded significantly.

In November 2025, five additional Guangdong ports were added to the 240-hour transit system, bringing the nationwide total to 65.

The additional ports included:

• Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal
• Hengqin Port
• Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port
• Zhongshan Passenger Port
• West Kowloon Station Port of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link

This makes some southern China itineraries much more flexible than they were previously.

However, the exact sequence of entry, stay and onward travel still needs to comply with the transit policy.

---

Can You Take Domestic Trains While Using the Policy?

Yes, if the journey stays within your permitted area.

You can use normal domestic transport such as:

• High-speed trains
• Metro
• Buses
• Domestic road transport

within areas where you are permitted to stay.

The restriction is geographical, not a ban on Chinese public transport.

Before buying a train ticket to another city, make sure that city is inside your authorized travel area.

---

Can You Take a Domestic Flight?

Be careful.

A domestic flight may take you outside the geographical area permitted under your visa-free transit status.

Do not assume that because you can buy the ticket, immigration policy allows the journey.

Check the permitted areas first.

---

Can You Stay in a Hotel?

Yes.

You can stay in hotels while traveling under the 240-hour policy.

Your hotel will normally register your accommodation using your passport when you check in.

If you stay somewhere other than a hotel, different accommodation-registration requirements apply.

Read next: Accommodation Registration in China for Foreigners

---

What Can You Do During the 240 Hours?

Eligible travelers may engage in short-term activities such as:

• Tourism
• Business
• Visiting
• Family visits
• Exchange activities

But the policy does not authorize activities that normally require prior approval or a specific visa.

For example:

• Work
• Long-term study
• News reporting

still require the appropriate Chinese visa or authorization.

A visa-free transit entry should not be used as a substitute for work or residence status.

---

What Happens When You Arrive?

At your Chinese entry port, follow the signs and instructions for international arrivals and immigration.

You may need to present:

• Passport
• Onward ticket
• Travel itinerary
• Accommodation information

Immigration authorities will determine whether your itinerary meets the 240-hour policy requirements.

The exact processing area and procedure can vary by port.

If you are unsure where to go, tell airport or immigration staff that you are applying for 240-hour visa-free transit.

---

Prepare Your Accommodation Details

Save your first accommodation information before departure.

Have:

• Hotel name
• Hotel address
• Chinese hotel name if available
• Booking confirmation
• Hotel phone number

Immigration officers may ask where you intend to stay.

Having the information ready also makes your airport transfer much easier.

---

You May Still Need an Arrival Card

Visa-free does not mean paperwork-free.

Foreign travelers entering China may still need to submit arrival information.

China provides an official online Arrival Card system, allowing travelers to prepare this information before arrival.

Read next: How to Fill in the China Arrival Card

---

What About the 24-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy?

China also has a separate 24-hour visa-free transit policy.

This applies much more broadly to foreign nationals transiting China to a third country or region through eligible international routes.

If you stay within the restricted transit area and leave China within 24 hours, this may be the relevant policy rather than the 240-hour scheme.

If you want to leave the port's restricted area, you may need to obtain a temporary entry permit.

The 24-hour and 240-hour systems are separate policies.

Do not assume their eligibility rules are identical.

---

Common Mistake 1: Returning to the Same Country

Route

New York → Beijing → New York

This is not third-country transit.

You are returning to the same country you departed from.

The 240-hour policy should not be treated as a way to take a 10-day round trip to China from the same country.

Check whether another visa-free policy applies to your passport instead.

---

Common Mistake 2: Looking at Nationality Instead of Route

You may have an eligible passport but an ineligible itinerary.

For example, being American, British or Japanese does not automatically make every trip eligible.

You still need:

A → China → B

with A and B different.

Nationality is only one part of the rule.

---

Common Mistake 3: Assuming You Can Travel Anywhere in China

Being allowed to stay for 240 hours does not mean unrestricted nationwide travel.

Check the permitted stay area.

If your entry permission covers Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, that does not automatically mean you can add Beijing to the trip.

---

Common Mistake 4: No Confirmed Onward Ticket

A flexible travel plan can be wonderful.

It is not ideal for this immigration policy.

You need confirmed onward transportation when applying to enter under visa-free transit.

Book the onward journey before arrival.

---

Common Mistake 5: Confusing Visa-Free Transit With Visa-Free Entry

China operates several different visa-free systems.

They include:

• 30-day unilateral visa-free entry
• Mutual visa-exemption agreements
• 240-hour visa-free transit
• 24-hour visa-free transit
• Regional visa-free entry policies

If your passport already qualifies for ordinary 30-day visa-free tourism, you may not need to use the transit policy at all.

Read next: Do I Need a Visa for China? 2026 Guide

---

Example Itineraries

Tokyo → Shanghai → London

Potentially eligible if:

• Your nationality is on the eligible list
• Shanghai is an eligible entry point
• Your onward London ticket is confirmed
• You stay within the permitted area
• You leave within the authorized period

---

Seoul → Beijing → Paris

Potentially eligible under the same principles.

---

Los Angeles → Shanghai → Tokyo

Potentially eligible for an eligible passport holder.

---

Los Angeles → Shanghai → Los Angeles

Not normally eligible under the transit rule because the onward destination is the same country as the origin.

---

Paris → Shanghai → Beijing → Tokyo

Do not assume this works simply because the international segments are France → China → Japan.

The domestic Shanghai → Beijing journey crosses different policy regions and may take you outside the permitted area associated with your entry.

Check the exact allowed travel area before booking.

---

What If Your Flight Changes?

Disruptions happen.

A cancellation, rerouting or schedule change can potentially affect the itinerary on which your visa-free transit entry was based.

If your travel plans change after entry and could affect your permitted stay or departure route, contact immigration authorities or the 12367 immigration service hotline for guidance rather than simply assuming the new itinerary is acceptable.

---

What If You Miss Your Onward Flight?

Do not ignore the problem.

Your authorized stay still has a deadline.

If a delay, cancellation, medical emergency or other unexpected situation makes it impossible to depart as planned, contact the relevant immigration authority as soon as possible.

Do this before your permitted stay expires.

---

Should You Use the 240-Hour Policy or Apply for a Visa?

The transit policy is extremely useful when your itinerary naturally fits it.

For example:

Europe → Shanghai for 5 days → Japan

can be an excellent use of the policy.

But if your real plan is:

• To travel extensively around China
• To visit cities outside the permitted area
• To stay longer
• To return to the same origin country
• To work or study

then trying to reshape your trip around transit rules may make the journey unnecessarily complicated.

Use the policy when it fits the trip.

Do not build an awkward trip just to avoid applying for the visa you actually need.

---

Before You Book: 240-Hour Transit Checklist

Passport

• I hold an ordinary passport
• My nationality is currently eligible
• My passport will be valid for the journey

Route

• I am arriving from Country/Region A
• I am departing to a different Country/Region B
• My onward journey is confirmed
• My departure date is within the permitted stay

Entry and exit

• My entry port participates in the policy
• My intended exit route is permitted
• I have checked the current list of eligible ports

Travel inside China

• Every Chinese destination on my itinerary is inside the permitted stay area
• I have not assumed the policy covers all of mainland China

Documents

• Passport
• Onward ticket
• Accommodation details
• Basic itinerary
• Arrival information prepared

---

If You Are Still Unsure

Visa-free transit is based on your exact itinerary, so small differences can change the answer.

Before booking a complicated route, verify it through official channels.

China's National Immigration Administration operates the 12367 immigration service hotline, and official immigration authorities can provide guidance on current entry policies.

When asking about your itinerary, provide the actual route:

City A → Chinese entry port → places you plan to visit → exit port → City B

That is much more useful than simply asking:

“Can my nationality use 240-hour transit?”

---

The Rule to Remember

If you remember only one thing from this guide, remember:

Eligible passport + A → China → B + confirmed onward ticket + eligible port + permitted travel area.

All of those pieces need to fit.

When they do, China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy can turn a connection into a genuine 10-day trip.

When they do not, you may need another visa-free policy or a Chinese visa instead.

---

Official Sources

This guide was checked against information published by:

• National Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China
• Official 2026 Visa-Free Transit Policy Interpretation
• National Immigration Administration announcements on eligible countries and ports

The list of eligible countries, ports and permitted stay areas can change. Verify your exact itinerary through current official information before departure.