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

This page was last reviewed on 2026-10-16. Immigration rules change: always confirm with the official National Immigration Administration (NIA) or the 12367 hotline before you book.

What the 240-hour visa-free transit policy is

China allows citizens of 57 countries to transit through designated mainland China ports without a visa for up to 240 hours (10 days), as long as they are traveling onward to a third country or region. The policy replaced the older 72-hour and 144-hour schemes in December 2024. Indonesia was added in June 2025, and Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam in August 2026, bringing the list from 54 to 57.

For a traveler flying from, say, London to Tokyo with a stopover in Shanghai, this means: enter Shanghai visa-free, explore for up to 10 days, then continue to Tokyo. You do not need to stay inside the airport. You can leave and travel within the permitted areas.

Who is eligible

• You hold a passport from one of the 57 eligible countries (including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, and most of Europe). The NIA publishes the authoritative list.
• You have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region departing within 240 hours (10 days) of arrival.
• You enter and exit through designated ports and stay within the permitted areas for those ports.
• Your passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond your entry.

If your nationality is on China’s 30-day visa-free entry list, you may not need the transit policy at all. That scheme is simpler, longer, and has no third-country requirement. See 30-day visa-free entry vs 240-hour transit for the comparison.

Where you can go

The policy covers 65 designated ports across 24 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Once you enter, you can travel between the permitted areas of the participating provinces, so, for example, an entry in Beijing can now plausibly combine with a stay in Shanghai, as long as you stay inside the permitted regions and exit through a designated port within 240 hours.

Some areas are restricted to specific cities rather than the whole province:

• Sichuan, 11 cities (Chengdu and nearby municipalities).
• Yunnan, 9 cities/prefectures (Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna, and others).
• Guangxi, 12 cities (Nanning, Guilin, Beihai, and others).
• Shanxi, Taiyuan and Datong only.
• Jiangxi, Nanchang and Jingdezhen only.
• Heilongjiang, Harbin only.

Check the specific permitted area for your port of entry with the NIA before you book.

The rules that trip people up

1. Third country means third country. A round trip (London → Shanghai → London) does not qualify. Your onward destination must differ from where you came from. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan each count as a separate “region” for this rule, so London → Shanghai → Hong Kong is generally a valid transit.
2. Stay in the permitted areas. The allowed travel area depends on your port of entry. Many ports allow travel across a whole province or region, and cross-province travel within the permitted areas is allowed, but you cannot roam anywhere in China. Check the specific rules for your arrival city.
3. One booked, confirmed onward ticket is easiest. You need proof of the onward journey. A separate ticket is fine, but the airline and immigration officer will want to see it, and airlines can deny boarding if your documents don’t check out.
4. Your passport must be valid. The NIA requires at least 3 months’ validity; your airline may require 6 months. Carry a buffer.
5. Visa-free transit is for transit. If you already hold a valid Chinese visa, you can just use that; the policy matters when you don’t have one.

How to use it on arrival

• Fill in the Arrival Card on the plane or at the port.
• Join the 240-hour visa-free transit lane at immigration, or tell the officer you are using the policy.
• Show your passport, onward ticket, and the arrival card.
• Keep your boarding pass from the inbound flight, officers may ask for it.

Common questions

Can I visit more than one province? Yes: the current policy allows cross-province travel within the permitted areas of the participating provinces. You still need to respect each province’s permitted area and exit through a designated port within 240 hours.

Does the 240 hours start when I land? The clock starts at 00:00 the day after entry, effectively you get 10 calendar days, plus a little head start if you arrive late in the evening.

Can I enter by land or sea? The policy covers designated air, land, rail, and sea ports. The list of designated ports matters more than the mode of transport.

Do Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as third regions? For transit purposes, generally yes: a route like London → Shanghai → Hong Kong counts as transiting to a third region. Confirm with the NIA for your exact itinerary.

What if my flight is delayed and I exceed 240 hours? Don’t. Overstaying has serious consequences. Build in a buffer.

Do I need to register where I’m staying? Yes, foreign visitors must register their accommodation within 24 hours of arrival. Hotels do this automatically at check-in; if you stay privately, you register with the local police station (many areas now allow online self-registration).

Bottom line

If you hold an eligible passport and a genuine onward ticket to a third country or region, China’s 240-hour visa-free transit is one of the best stopover deals in the world. Verify the details for your nationality and ports first, then plan your layover with the rest of this guide.

Related: 30-day visa-free entry vs 240-hour transit, which one do you actually use?

Related guides

• 24-hour vs 240-hour visa-free transit
• The third-country rule for China transit (A→B→C)
• Transit mistakes that get travelers denied
• Hotel registration for foreigners in China
• China layover statistics & facts
• Visa-free vs visa: when you actually need a Chinese visa
• China’s regional visa-free schemes (Hainan & bilateral)
• Is a China layover worth it?