240-hour Transit & Visa-Free Guide

Quick answer

Use this page as a planning entry point, not as legal advice. Transit and visa-free rules can change, and travelers must verify official sources before booking.

See the Arrival & Entry guide for the full airport arrival process, online arrival card instructions, and first-day logistics.

240-hour transit key rules

• Citizens of 55 eligible countries can transit through China WITHOUT a visa for up to 240 hours (10 days) when continuing to a THIRD country/region.
• You MUST be transiting to a third country DIFFERENT from your country of origin. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as third regions. Example: USA -> Shanghai -> Hong Kong qualifies; USA -> Shanghai -> USA does NOT.
• You must enter and exit through an eligible port. As of the National Immigration Administration’s November 2025 update, the policy applies at 65 ports in 24 provincial-level regions; do not assume that every international airport or border crossing participates.
• You must have a confirmed onward ticket (with seat) to the third country/region within 240 hours.
• You can only move within the APPROVED REGION (e.g., Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Anhui, Guangdong, Chengdu-Chongqing) during your stay. You cannot leave that region.
• You must inform the airline at check-in that you intend to use visa-free transit.
• At immigration, clearly state “transit visa-free” (过境免签) and present your onward ticket.

Three entry regimes: do not confuse them

Make sure you understand which entry regime applies to you:

1. Unilateral visa-free entry: Citizens of specific countries can enter China WITHOUT a visa for 15-30 days for tourism (no onward third-country ticket needed; can travel freely).
2. 240-hour transit visa-free: Transit to a third country; limited to approved region; up to 240 hours.
3. Regular visa: Required if you do not qualify for either visa-free option.

See the Arrival & Entry guide for a full comparison.

Check before relying on it

• Your nationality (is your country eligible?).
• Entry and exit ports (do they support 240-hour transit?).
• Allowed stay area (what region does your port of entry allow?).
• Onward ticket requirements (confirmed date and seat?).
• Whether your onward destination is truly a third country/region.
• Whether your route counts as transit (not returning to origin).

Content policy

This site should not decide eligibility for a traveler. It should explain the questions to ask and link to official sources. Verify with the National Immigration Administration (en.nia.gov.cn), your airline, or the Chinese embassy/consulate before booking.

Next steps

• Arrival Entry
• First China Trip