China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit (2026): Rules & 65 Ports
Last verified
Last verified: 2026-11-03.
Every rule below links to an official source and shows that source's date. Border officers make the final decision at the port; if anything here conflicts with the National Immigration Administration (NIA), the NIA wins.
Check your trip in 30 seconds: use our free 240-hour visa-free transit checker. It uses the same official port and area data as this page.
The short version
- Who: ordinary-passport holders of 57 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and most of Europe (NIA, 20 Aug 2026).
- Route: you must be in transit: arrive from country/region A, leave for a different country/region B. A→China→A round trips do not qualify (Yunnan Provincial Government Q&A; Chinese Consulate-General in Montreal, 30 May 2025).
- How long: up to 240 hours (10 days), counted from 00:00 on the day after you arrive (NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2025, 3 Nov 2025).
- Where: enter through one of 65 designated ports in 24 provincial-level regions, and stay inside the permitted areas. Travel between those 24 regions is allowed (NIA, 20 Aug 2026).
- What you need: a passport valid for at least 3 months, a confirmed onward ticket (air, ship or train) leaving within 240 hours, the entry requirements of your next destination, and the arrival card (NIA, 3 Nov 2025).
- Not for: work, study or journalism. Those need a proper visa (NIA, 20 Aug 2026).
Is 30-day visa-free simpler for you? 48 of the 50 countries on China's separate 30-day visa-free list currently have it only until 31 December 2026 (Russia until 31 Dec 2027; Brunei with no end date). The United States is not on the 30-day list, so for US citizens the 240-hour policy is the main visa-free option (Chinese Embassy in Switzerland, 19 Aug 2026). See China 30-day visa-free countries.
Who qualifies: the 57 countries
Official list, NIA policy page dated 20 August 2026 (source):
| Region | Countries |
|---|---|
| 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, 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) | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico |
| Oceania (2) | Australia, New Zealand |
| Asia (9) | Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam |
Why you may see "54" or "55" elsewhere: the list grew from 54 (17 Dec 2024) to 55 when Indonesia was added on 12 Jun 2025 (NIA, 13 Jun 2025), then to 57 when Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added with effect from 20 Aug 2026 (NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026). Pages that say 55 are older than that.
Passport type: the policy is for ordinary passports (NIA, 20 Aug 2026). If you hold a diplomatic, service, emergency or other travel document, ask your nearest Chinese embassy.
The transit rule (A → China → B)
You must be travelling through China to a third country or region ("第三国（地区）" in the Chinese text). In practice:
| Itinerary | Qualifies? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| London → Shanghai → Tokyo | ✅ Yes | Arrive from the UK, leave for Japan |
| Seoul → Beijing → Seoul | ❌ No | Same country in and out (Yunnan Q&A) |
| Los Angeles → Guangzhou → Singapore | ✅ Yes | US → Singapore |
| New York → Shanghai → Hong Kong | ⚠️ Probably yes | Hong Kong is a separate "region" for this policy; see note below |
| Hong Kong (via West Kowloon) → Guangzhou → Bangkok | ⚠️ Probably yes | West Kowloon Station is one of the 65 ports; see note below |
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as the "third region": the NIA wording is "third country or region", and the NIA added Hong Kong/Macao-facing ports (West Kowloon Station, Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, Hengqin) on 5 Nov 2025 (NIA, 3 Nov 2025). The only explicit statement we found that Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as separate regions comes from an airline FAQ (China Southern Airlines, 30 Dec 2024, not a government source). Unverified by an official text: confirm with the NIA hotline 12367 (+86 12367 from abroad) before relying on it.
Your onward ticket must already be booked when you arrive. You cannot enter first and buy the ticket afterwards (Yunnan Q&A). The NIA conditions say the ticket must have a confirmed date and seat/arrangement and depart within 240 hours; "other proof documents" are also mentioned but not defined (NIA, 3 Nov 2025). A printed or downloadable e-ticket is the safest proof.
How the 240 hours are counted
The clock starts at 00:00 on the day after the day you enter (NIA, 3 Nov 2025; Shanghai government Q&A).
| You enter | Clock starts | Latest departure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan, 08:00 | 2 Jan, 00:00 | 11 Jan, 24:00 (i.e. before midnight at the end of 11 Jan) |
| 1 Jan, 23:30 | 2 Jan, 00:00 | 11 Jan, 24:00 |
| 15 Mar, 14:10 | 16 Mar, 00:00 | 25 Mar, 24:00 |
Worked example from the Yunnan government: enter on 1 January, leave by 24:00 on 11 January (Yunnan Q&A). Your onward departure time, not your arrival at the airport, must fall inside the window. Leave a margin for delays.
All 65 ports and where you may stay
Source: NIA port table (image on the NIA policy page, 20 Aug 2026), cross-checked against the appendix of the NIA Chinese announcement of 3 Nov 2025. Port type (air/sea/land/rail) is our label based on the official port name.
| Province / region | Designated 240-hour entry ports | Where you may stay |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Beijing Capital International Airport (air); Beijing Daxing International Airport (air) | Whole municipality |
| Tianjin | Tianjin Binhai International Airport (air); Tianjin Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole municipality |
| Hebei | Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (air); Qinhuangdao Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole province |
| Liaoning | Shenyang Taoxian International Airport (air); Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (air); Dalian Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole province |
| Shanghai | Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (air); Shanghai Pudong International Airport (air); Shanghai Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole municipality |
| Jiangsu | Nanjing Lukou International Airport (air); Su'nan Shuofang International Airport (air); Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport (air); Lianyungang Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole province |
| Zhejiang | Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (air); Ningbo Lishe International Airport (air); Wenzhou Longwan International Airport (air); Yiwu Airport (air); Wenzhou Port (Passenger) (sea); Zhoushan Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole province |
| Anhui | Hefei Xinqiao International Airport (air); Huangshan Tunxi International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Fujian | Fuzhou Changle International Airport (air); Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (air); Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport (air); Wuyishan Airport (air); Xiamen Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole province |
| Shandong | Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (air); Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (air); Yantai Penglai International Airport (air); Weihai Dashuipo International Airport (air); Qingdao Port (Passenger) (sea) | Whole province |
| Henan | Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Hubei | Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Hunan | Changsha Huanghua International Airport (air); Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Guangdong | Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (air); Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (air); Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport (air); Nansha Port (Passenger) (sea); Shekou Port (Passenger) (sea); Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal (sea); Zhongshan Port (Passenger) (sea); Hengqin Port (land); Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port (land); West Kowloon Station Port of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (rail) | Whole province; exit through any open Guangdong port allowed |
| Hainan | Haikou Meilan International Airport (air); Sanya Phoenix International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Chongqing | Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (air) | Whole municipality |
| Guizhou | Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Shaanxi | Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (air) | Whole province |
| Shanxi | Taiyuan Wusu International Airport (air) | Only: Taiyuan, Datong |
| Heilongjiang | Harbin Taiping International Airport (air) | Only: Harbin |
| Jiangxi | Nanchang Changbei International Airport (air) | Only: Nanchang, Jingdezhen |
| Guangxi | Nanning Wuxu International Airport (air); Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (air); Beihai Fucheng Airport (air); Beihai Port (Passenger) (sea) | Only: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, Laibin |
| Sichuan | Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (air); Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (air) | Only: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, Ziyang |
| Yunnan | Kunming Changshui International Airport (air); Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (air); Mohan Railway Port (rail) | Only: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang |
Key points about this table:
- You can move between the 24 regions. For example, enter at Shanghai Pudong, take a train to Beijing and leave from Beijing Capital. This cross-province travel was allowed from 17 Dec 2024 (gov.cn, 17 Dec 2024).
- Six regions only allow listed cities: Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan and Yunnan. In Sichuan, for example, Chengdu and Leshan are inside the area; places not listed (such as Jiuzhaigou, which is in Aba Prefecture) are outside it.
- Regions not on the list (for example Tibet/Xizang, Xinjiang, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Qinghai, Ningxia) are outside the permitted areas.
- Exit: you leave through any designated port; in Guangdong you may also leave through any open port in the province (NIA Chinese announcement, 3 Nov 2025).
- The five newest ports (Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Zhongshan Port, Hengqin, Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, West Kowloon Station) took effect on 5 Nov 2025 (NIA, 3 Nov 2025).
Step by step on arrival
- Before you fly: book the onward ticket; fill in the arrival card online (available since 20 Nov 2025) (NIA, 3 Nov 2025). Fill it in at the NIA online arrival card.
- At check-in abroad: airlines check documents. Have your onward ticket ready and say you are using 240-hour visa-free transit.
- At the border: use the visa-free transit lane where there is one (Shanghai has dedicated lanes at Pudong, Hongqiao and Shanghai Port (Shanghai government Q&A)). Show passport, onward ticket and arrival card. Officers issue a temporary entry permit (NIA, 3 Nov 2025).
- During your stay: hotels register you automatically. If you stay with friends or in a private home, you or your host must register with the police within 24 hours; this can be done online nationwide since 21 Sep 2026 via the NIA 12367 app, website, or WeChat/Alipay mini programs (NIA Announcement No. 7 of 2026).
- If something goes wrong (illness, cancelled flight) and you must stay longer or leave the area, apply in advance to the local public security exit-entry office; overstaying is illegal stay (Yunnan Q&A).
Common reasons people are refused
Based on official Q&As (Montreal Consulate, 30 May 2025; Yunnan Q&A):
- Round trip to the same country or region (A→China→A).
- No confirmed onward ticket, or departure later than 240 hours.
- Passport valid for less than 3 months, or a non-ordinary passport.
- Not meeting the next country's entry rules (for example no visa for country B when one is needed).
- Purpose is work, study or reporting.
- Other legal grounds for refusing entry (for example previous immigration violations). The NIA's 24-hour transit rules also list "a serious accommodation-registration violation within 2 years"; we could not find this restated for the 240-hour policy, so treat it as unverified (NIA 24-hour transit interpretation).
240-hour transit vs 30-day visa-free vs 24-hour transit
| 24-hour transit | 240-hour transit | 30-day visa-free | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | All nationalities | 57 countries | 50 countries (not the US) |
| Route | To a third country/region | A→China→B required | Any; round trips fine |
| Ports | All open ports | 65 designated ports | All ports open to foreigners |
| Where | Stay in the port restricted area (temporary entry permit needed to leave it) | 24 regions' permitted areas | Whole country (normal rules) |
| Max stay | 24 hours | 240 hours from 00:00 next day | 30 days from the day after entry |
| Valid until | Ongoing | Ongoing | 31 Dec 2026 for 48 countries |
| Source | NIA, 20 Aug 2026 | NIA, 20 Aug 2026 | NIA, 17 Feb 2026; Embassy in Switzerland, 19 Aug 2026 |
If you qualify for a mutual visa-exemption agreement or the 30-day unilateral policy, those rules apply instead (NIA, 3 Nov 2025).
FAQ
Does the 240-hour policy apply to US citizens? Yes. The United States is on the list of 57 countries (NIA, 20 Aug 2026).
Can I fly into one city and leave from another? Yes, as long as both are designated ports and you stay inside the permitted areas. Cross-province travel among the 24 regions is allowed (NIA, 20 Aug 2026).
Does a train or ferry count as the onward ticket? Yes. The NIA conditions mention onward air, ship or train tickets (NIA, 3 Nov 2025).
Is it exactly 10 days? It is up to 240 hours, counted from 00:00 the day after you enter, so you effectively get the rest of arrival day plus 10 full days.
Can I extend it? Only for genuine force-majeure reasons, by applying in advance to the local exit-entry office (Yunnan Q&A). Plan to leave on time.
Can I use it more than once? The NIA texts we read set no limit on the number of uses. We could not find an official statement either way; treat as unverified. Officers can still refuse entry.
Do children need their own onward ticket? Each traveller must meet the conditions, including a confirmed onward ticket.
Who do I ask if I'm unsure? The NIA 12367 service hotline (+86 12367 from abroad) (NIA, 3 Nov 2025), or your airline before departure.
Related guides
- 240-hour visa-free transit checker
- China 30-day visa-free countries (and the 31 Dec 2026 deadline)
- Port guides: Chengdu Tianfu · Chengdu Shuangliu · Shanghai Pudong · Beijing Capital · Guangzhou Baiyun · Shenzhen Bao'an & Shekou
- Show this at check-in: official 240-hour text in English and Chinese
- China visa policy changelog
- How to pay in China
- eSIM and internet in China
Information is for reference only; official sources prevail. See our disclaimer.