Plan · Visa & entry
240-hour visa-free transit
Since December 2024, eligible travellers can transit through China for up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa. Generous policy, precise rules — get one piece wrong and you're paying for an emergency visa at the airport.
What the 240-hour transit covers
If you are a citizen of one of the 54 eligible countries, you can enter China without a visa for up to 240 hours (10 days, counted from midnight on the day after arrival), provided:
1. You hold a confirmed onward air, sea or rail ticket to a **third country or region** (not back to where you came from). Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan count as separate destinations for this purpose — a flight to Hong Kong via Shanghai satisfies the requirement even though HK is technically China. 2. You enter and exit through eligible ports. 3. You stay within the approved geographic zone linked to your entry port during the transit period.
Eligible nationalities
The 54 countries include: all EU member states, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Russia (added 2024), UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and others. The full list is published by the National Immigration Administration of the PRC and updated periodically. Check the NIA website or your country's embassy for the definitive current list.
Eligible ports and their zones
60+ ports of entry, each linked to a specific administrative zone in which you must stay:
| Port | Approved zone | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing Capital (PEK) / Daxing (PKX) | Beijing municipality | ||
| Shanghai Pudong (PVG) / Hongqiao (SHA) | Shanghai + Jiangsu + Zhejiang | ||
| Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) | Guangdong province | ||
| Shenzhen Bao'an (SZX) | Shenzhen + Guangdong | ||
| Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) / Shuangliu (CTU) | Chengdu + Chongqing + Guizhou + Yunnan + Tibet | ||
| Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) | Zhejiang + Shanghai + Jiangsu | ||
| Xi'an Xianyang (XIY) | Shaanxi province | ||
| Kunming Changshui (KMG) | Yunnan + Guizhou + Guangxi | ||
| Qingdao Jiaodong (TAO) | Shandong province | ||
| Harbin, Shenyang, Dalian, Wuhan, Changsha, Sanya, Haikou | Respective provinces/cities |
You cannot leave the approved zone during your transit stay. Crossing from the Shanghai zone into, say, Shandong would be a violation.
The third-country requirement in detail
The onward ticket must show departure to a third country. The most common source of confusion:
- Return to origin: New York → Shanghai → New York. NOT eligible. The destination must be a third country.
- Hong Kong as a third destination: New York → Shanghai → Hong Kong. Eligible — HK is a separate immigration jurisdiction.
- Taiwan as a third destination: Sydney → Beijing → Taipei. Eligible for the same reason.
- Connecting at two Chinese ports: London → Shanghai (3 days) → Guangzhou → Bangkok. You would need to check out at Shanghai and re-enter at Guangzhou, which triggers a new transit clock — this requires you to exit and re-enter, which is permitted if your itinerary is structured to show it.
Step-by-step: arriving on 240-hour transit
1. At your home airport, confirm the transit policy with the airline and check the onward ticket shows a different country. 2. On the flight, fill in the arrival card normally — mark "transit" for the purpose. 3. On arrival in China, follow the immigration queue. Some airports have a dedicated **Transit Without Visa (TWOV)** counter; others process transit in the regular foreigner queue. Present your passport and onward ticket. The officer will issue a stamp showing the transit period and permitted zone. 4. Collect baggage (if checked through, it will arrive at the final destination). If your luggage stops in China, collect and re-check it. 5. Exit immigration and enter China. You are free to travel within the approved zone. 6. Return to the airport (or other eligible exit port) and depart before your 240 hours expire.
Common itinerary patterns
- London → Beijing (4 days) → Tokyo: Eligible. Beijing zone permitted; 4 days under the 10-day limit.
- New York → Shanghai (3 days) → New York: NOT eligible — must depart to a third country.
- Sydney → Hong Kong → Shenzhen (train) → Shanghai → Hong Kong: Eligible — Hong Kong is a third destination; travel within Guangdong + Shanghai zone is permitted if using a port whose zone covers both.
- Schengen → Kunming (5 days exploring Yunnan) → Bangkok: Eligible — Yunnan is in the Kunming port zone; Bangkok is the third country.
What you can do during the 240 hours
Everything a normal tourist can do: visit museums, restaurants, parks, neighbourhoods, take domestic trains and flights within the approved zone. You cannot work or conduct business activities requiring an M or Z visa.
What happens if you miss the deadline
Overstaying the 240-hour transit is treated as illegal stay. Fines start at ¥500 per day, capped at ¥10,000, and can result in a multi-year ban from re-entry. If you are delayed by a genuine emergency (weather closure of the onward airport, hospitalisation), contact the local Exit and Entry Administration Bureau immediately — documented force majeure has produced discretionary treatment in some cases, though it is not guaranteed.
What-if edge cases
What if my onward flight is cancelled? Airline-caused cancellations are documented. Go to the airline counter at the airport and obtain a written cancellation notice. Present this at the immigration counter and request an extension or special consideration. The NIA has discretion to grant a short extension; carry travel insurance that covers accommodation costs during rebooking.
What if I want to stay longer than 10 days? Obtain a proper Chinese visa before departure. The 240-hour policy is a transit tool, not a substitute for a tourist visa.