China Transit Guide

China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Explained (2026 Rules)

Published 2026-10-06 · Updated 2026-10-06

China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Explained (2026)

If you're flying between two other countries and China is on the way, you may be able to stop for up to 10 days without a visa. This is China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy. This guide explains who qualifies, where you can enter, where you can go, and how the 240 hours are counted, with a link to the official source for every rule.

Check official sources before travel. Rules have changed several times since 2024. Confirm with the National Immigration Administration (NIA) (hotline +86-12367) and your airline. Information here was checked on 6 October 2026.

The policy in one paragraph

According to the NIA, nationals of 57 countries who are transiting through China to a third country or region may enter without a visa through any of 65 designated ports in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and stay in the permitted areas for up to 10 days. They must hold an ordinary passport and an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and departure date (NIA policy interpretation, 20 Aug 2026).

A short history

  • 17 December 2024: the 240-hour policy launched with 54 countries and 60 ports (NIA Announcement No. 12 of 2024; NIA news).
  • 12 June 2025: Indonesia added (NIA).
  • 5 November 2025: five more ports in Guangdong added, bringing the total to 65 (announced 3 November 2025; NIA).
  • 20 August 2026: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added, bringing the total to 57 countries (NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026).

Official pages don't always update at the same time. Some NIA replies from early 2026 and a July 2026 Gov.cn report still say 55 countries or 60 ports. The NIA's August 2026 announcement is the newest, so we use its figures. Check the date on any page you rely on.

Who qualifies: the 57 countries

The NIA lists the following countries (NIA):

Europe (40): 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, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom

North America (2): Canada, United States

South America (4, as grouped by NIA): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico

Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand

Asia (9): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam

Many of these countries also qualify for 30-day visa-free entry, which can be simpler. See visa-free entry vs 240-hour transit.

What counts as "transit"

The core condition is that you're travelling from one country or region to a different one, via China:

  • ✅ United States → Shanghai → Japan
  • ✅ United Kingdom → Beijing → Singapore
  • ❌ United States → Shanghai → United States (a round trip, not transit)

The Chinese consulate in Montreal explains that the departure country or region and the destination must be different (consulate FAQ).

What about Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan? The NIA wording is "third countries or regions". The NIA has made several ports that serve Hong Kong and Macao into 240-hour entry ports, including West Kowloon Station, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge and Hengqin (NIA). But we found no NIA or other government page that says outright that Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan count as your onward "region". MTR, the operator of the Hong Kong high-speed rail link, says they are considered eligible onward destinations, and gives the example of Canada → Hong Kong → Shenzhen → Thailand (MTR). Our checker answers "check" for these itineraries. If your plan relies on this, confirm it with the NIA (+86-12367) or your airline before booking.

The conditions in detail

The NIA's November 2025 announcement sets out the conditions (NIA):

  1. Passport valid for at least three months, meeting the entry requirements of your onward destination.
  2. Onward ticket to a third country or region, with a confirmed date and seat, departing within 240 hours. The announcement also mentions "other proof documents". The consulate FAQ says you can't be processed if the onward ticket isn't booked before entry, so book it.
  3. Arrival card completed, and you accept border inspection.
  4. Time counted from 00:00 on the day after entry.

The consulate FAQ adds that you may be refused if, for example, your passport has less than three months' validity, carries a Chinese visa refusal record, or you have entered, stayed or worked illegally in China within the past five years (consulate FAQ).

How the 240 hours are counted

The stay is counted from 00:00 on the day after you arrive (NIA). For example, if you arrive on 1 January, the clock starts at 00:00 on 2 January, and 240 hours later is 24:00 on 11 January. In practice, the day you land is a "free" partial day. If you're cutting it close, confirm your exact deadline with the border officer on arrival.

Where you can enter: 65 ports

The ports are airports, seaports and rail ports in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Highlights from the NIA table (NIA):

  • Beijing: Capital and Daxing airports
  • Shanghai: Pudong and Hongqiao airports, Shanghai Port
  • Guangdong: 10 ports, including Guangzhou Baiyun and Shenzhen Bao'an airports, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge port, Hengqin port and West Kowloon Station port
  • Sichuan: Chengdu Shuangliu and Tianfu airports
  • Yunnan: Kunming, Lijiang and the Mohan railway port

The full list of ports is built into our transit checker.

Where you can go: permitted areas

For most of the 24 provinces, the permitted area is the whole province or municipality (for example Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang or Guangdong). Some are more limited (NIA):

Entry province Permitted area
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 Ya'an
Yunnan 9 cities and prefectures, including Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Xishuangbanna

The NIA notes that you can travel across provinces within the permitted areas of all 24 provinces. Leaving the permitted areas without permission isn't allowed (NIA; consulate FAQ).

What you can do during your stay

Tourism, business, visits and family reunions are allowed. Work, study and journalism still require the appropriate visa (NIA).

While you're in China

  • Register your accommodation. Hotels do it for you. If you stay with friends or in a private rental, you or your host must register within 24 hours of arrival. Since 21 September 2026 this can be done online anywhere in China, through the NIA website, the "NIA 12367" app, or the NIA 12367 WeChat or Alipay mini programs. You can still register in person with the local police (NIA Announcement No. 7 of 2026).
  • Don't overstay. Overstaying or leaving the permitted area is penalised. If an emergency stops you leaving on time, such as illness or a cancelled flight, apply to the local exit-entry authorities for a stay permit (consulate FAQ).

Don't confuse it with 24-hour transit

Separately, all nationalities can transit through any open port for up to 24 hours without a visa if they stay in the airport's restricted area. Leaving the restricted area requires a temporary entry permit (NIA).

Practical tips

  • Tell the airline at check-in that you're using 240-hour visa-free transit and have your onward booking ready.
  • Keep your onward ticket (printed or on your phone) to show at immigration.
  • Fill in the arrival card online before you fly, or on paper on arrival. See our entry checklist.
  • Plan payments and trains. See how to pay and how to book trains.

Check your itinerary

Our 240-hour transit checker tests your nationality, entry port, itinerary and dates against these rules and lists the areas you could visit. It's a starting point. Always confirm with official sources before travel.

Sources

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