China expanded its visa-free transit policy from 144 hours to 240 hours on December 17, 2024, adding new provinces, ports, and countries to the eligible list. If you're transiting through China on your way to a third country, you may not need a visa at all — but the rules are specific, and getting them wrong means denial at immigration.
This guide covers every official rule you need to know before booking.
What Is the 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy?
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy allows citizens of 55 countries to pass through mainland China for up to 10 days without a visa. You qualify only if you're traveling through China to a destination in a different country or territory — you cannot use this policy to enter China purely for tourism.
Here's what makes it different from a tourist visa:
- No advance application required. You show up at a designated port with your passport and onward ticket, and immigration processes you on arrival.
- You must have a confirmed onward ticket departing within 240 hours to a country or territory different from where your inbound journey started.
- Your stay is limited to 24 specified provincial-level regions. You cannot travel freely across the entire country.
- Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as separate jurisdictions. Flying from Hong Kong to Shanghai, then onward to Tokyo, satisfies the transit requirement.
The policy replaced the previous 144-hour (6-day) rule and expanded the number of eligible ports from 39 to 65 across 24 provinces and regions.
Which Nationalities Are Eligible?
Citizens of 55 countries qualify. The list covers Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. For the official published list, see the National Immigration Administration announcement.
EU member states (all 27): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
Other European countries: Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, United States.
Asia-Pacific: Australia, Brunei, Indonesia (added July 2025), Japan, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates.
Your passport must be machine-readable and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure date from China.
Planning a longer stay? If 10 days isn't enough, you'll need a standard tourist visa. See our standard tourist visa guide for the full application process.
Which Ports of Entry and Exit Are Permitted?
As of November 2025, there are 65 designated ports across 24 provincial-level regions — 47 airports, 13 seaports, and 5 land/rail crossings. You must enter and exit through one of these ports, but they do not need to be the same port.
Major International Airports
| Airport | Code | Province/Region |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Capital | PEK | Beijing |
| Beijing Daxing | PKX | Beijing |
| Shanghai Pudong | PVG | Shanghai |
| Shanghai Hongqiao | SHA | Shanghai |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | CAN | Guangdong |
| Shenzhen Bao'an | SZX | Guangdong |
| Chengdu Tianfu | TFU | Sichuan |
| Chengdu Shuangliu | CTU | Sichuan |
| Xi'an Xianyang | XIY | Shaanxi |
| Kunming Changshui | KMG | Yunnan |
| Hangzhou Xiaoshan | HGH | Zhejiang |
| Nanjing Lukou | NKG | Jiangsu |
| Wuhan Tianhe | WUH | Hubei |
| Chongqing Jiangbei | CKG | Chongqing |
| Xiamen Gaoqi | XMN | Fujian |
| Harbin Taiping | HRB | Heilongjiang |
| Dalian Zhoushuizi | DLC | Liaoning |
| Qingdao Jiaodong | TAO | Shandong |
| Zhengzhou Xinzheng | CGO | Henan |
| Changsha Huanghua | CSX | Hunan |
| Haikou Meilan | HAK | Hainan |
| Sanya Phoenix | SYX | Hainan |
| Fuzhou Changle | FOC | Fujian |
| Nanning Wuxu | NNG | Guangxi |
| Guiyang Longdongbao | KWE | Guizhou |
| Shenyang Taoxian | SHE | Liaoning |
| Tianjin Binhai | TSN | Tianjin |
| Guilin Liangjiang | KWL | Guangxi |
| Hefei Xinqiao | HFE | Anhui |
| Jinan Yaoqiang | TNA | Shandong |
Additional airports include: Taiyuan Wusu (TYN), Shijiazhuang Zhengding (SJW), Wenzhou Longwan (WNZ), Ningbo Lishe (NGB), Yiwu (YIW), Huangshan Tunxi (TXN), Quanzhou Jinjiang (JJN), Wuyishan (WUS), Nanchang Changbei (KHN), Yantai Penglai (YNT), Weihai Dashuipo (WEH), Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYG), Beihai Fucheng (BHY), Jieyang Chaoshan (SWA), Sunan Shuofang (WUX), Yangzhou Taizhou (YTY), and Lijiang Sanyi (LJG).
Seaports
Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Qinhuangdao, Lianyungang, Nansha (Guangzhou), Shekou (Shenzhen), Pazhou Ferry Terminal (Guangzhou), and Zhongshan.
Land and Rail Crossings
- Hong Kong West Kowloon Station — high-speed rail connecting Hong Kong to mainland China
- Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge — Zhuhai port
- Hengqin Port — Macau border crossing
- Mohan Railway Port — Yunnan, connecting to Laos via the Boten crossing
Five of these ports (Pazhou, Zhongshan, Hengqin, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and Hong Kong West Kowloon) were added in November 2025, all located in Guangdong Province.
What Are the Geographic Restrictions?
Your travel is limited to the provincial-level region where you enter, plus designated neighboring regions. Here's how the clusters work:
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster: Enter through Beijing, Tianjin, or Shijiazhuang and travel freely across all three.
Yangtze River Delta: Enter through Shanghai, Nanjing, or Hangzhou and move between Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.
Guangdong: Enter through any Guangdong port and travel within Guangdong Province.
Other provinces operate independently. If you enter through Chengdu (Sichuan), your travel is restricted to the 11 designated cities in Sichuan — you cannot visit Chongqing or Yunnan unless you entered through those regions.
Partially open provinces:
- Shanxi: Taiyuan and Datong only
- Heilongjiang: Harbin only
- Jiangxi: Nanchang and Jingdezhen only
- Guangxi: 12 cities including Nanning, Guilin, and Beihai
- Sichuan: 11 cities including Chengdu, Leshan, and Jiuzhaigou
- Yunnan: 9 cities including Kunming, Lijiang, Dali, and Xishuangbanna
Key rule: You must exit through a port in the same authorized region. If you enter through Shanghai Pudong, you can exit through Hangzhou Xiaoshan (both Yangtze River Delta), but you cannot exit through Guangzhou Baiyun.
How Is the 240-Hour Period Calculated?
The clock starts at 00:00 (midnight) of the day after you arrive — not from the moment you land.
Example: You land in Shanghai at 14:30 on June 1. The 240-hour period begins at 00:00 on June 2 and ends at 24:00 on June 11. That gives you 10 full calendar days.
This works in your favor if you arrive late in the day — you effectively get a partial bonus day.
There are no extensions. If you need more than 10 days, apply for a standard visa before you travel. Overstaying results in a fine of 500 RMB per day (up to 10,000 RMB total), potential detention, and a ban from future visa-free transit entry.
What Documents Do You Need at Immigration?
Bring these to the immigration counter:
- Passport — machine-readable, valid for at least 3 months beyond your departure date from China.
- Confirmed onward ticket — printed or digital copy showing departure within 240 hours to a third country or territory.
- Accommodation proof — hotel booking confirmation or a residential address in China.
- Completed arrival card — provided on the aircraft or at the port of entry, available in English and Chinese.
- Biometric data — immigration will take your fingerprints and photograph.
Officers may also ask about your itinerary, purpose of transit, and proof of funds. A reasonable benchmark is at least 500 RMB per day of your stay, though there's no official minimum.
Common Reasons for Denial of Entry
Immigration officers have discretion to deny entry even if you meet the technical requirements. The most frequent reasons:
- Onward ticket returns to your country of origin. The ticket must be to a different country or territory. Flying New York → Shanghai → New York does not qualify.
- Passport validity is under 3 months beyond your planned departure from China.
- Previous immigration violation in China, including prior overstays.
- No clear itinerary or accommodation proof. Have your hotel bookings ready.
- Suspicion of intent to work, study, or overstay. Be prepared to explain your travel plans concisely.
- Travel to restricted regions. Some areas require additional permits and are not covered by this policy.
How Does This Compare to the Old 144-Hour Rule?
| Feature | 144-Hour Policy (before Dec 2024) | 240-Hour Policy (current) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum stay | 6 days | 10 days |
| Designated ports | 39 | 65 |
| Open provinces/regions | 19 | 24 |
| Exit flexibility | Usually same port of entry | Any port within authorized region |
| Cross-province travel | Limited | Permitted within designated clusters |
| Countries covered | ~54 | 55 (Indonesia added July 2025) |
The new policy also added five provinces — Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou — and expanded the permitted areas within existing provinces like Guangxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan.
What to Do Before You Travel
Confirm your eligibility. Check your nationality against the 55-country list above.
Book a confirmed onward ticket. The departure must fall within 240 hours of your arrival. A flight, train, or ship ticket to a third country all qualify.
Reserve accommodation in advance. Carry printed hotel confirmations — some immigration officers prefer paper over phone screens.
Prepare a rough itinerary. You don't need minute-by-minute plans, but know which cities you'll visit within the permitted region.
Set up mobile payments and connectivity. China's payment ecosystem runs on mobile apps. Set up Alipay as a foreigner before you arrive — cash acceptance is declining, especially in cities. Internet access to Western services requires a VPN.
Check the latest health requirements. As of 2026, no COVID-19 testing or vaccination proof is required, but monitor updates from Chinese embassies before departure. The National Immigration Administration publishes official policy updates in Chinese.
Print key documents. Immigration counters may not have reliable Wi-Fi. Print your onward ticket, hotel booking, and any other supporting documents.
First time in China? Our First-Time China Visitor Checklist covers everything from airport navigation to daily logistics.
Bottom Line
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy is one of the most generous transit arrangements China has ever offered — 10 days, 65 ports, 24 provinces, and no visa application required. But the rules are precise. Get your onward ticket, stay within the designated regions, and keep your documents ready at immigration. If you plan to stay longer or visit areas outside the permitted zones, apply for a standard tourist visa instead.
For more on staying safe and connected during your trip, see our China solo female traveler safety guide and the complete 240-hour visa-free China guide.