144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Is No Longer the Default (Use 240 Hours)
Correction: 144-hour TWOV is not the current default product. Use 240-hour transit or 30-day visa-free — confirm on NIA.
Key takeaway
If a blog still says **China 144-hour (6-day) visa-free transit** is the product to plan around, **stop**. On **17 December 2024** the National Immigration Administration **extended eligible TWOV from 72/144 hours to 240 hours (10 days)** and expanded ports and stay areas. In 2026, choose among **30-day visa-free**, **240-hour transit**, or an **L visa** — see [which entry product](/questions/do-i-need-a-visa-for-china-or-is-visa-free-enough).
Full report
What Changed
NIA retired 72/144 hours as the headline TWOV length in favour of 240 hours, with more ports and the ability to move across allowed provinces. Airline check-in still wants a third-country onward ticket for TWOV. US passports remain on TWOV, not the 30-day unilateral visa-free list.
What to do next
- Open Do I need a visa, or is visa-free enough?.
- If you are on TWOV, run the 240-hour five gates.
- Confirm the live list on NIA English.
What may vary
Eligible nationalities, ports, and airline document rules change — recheck within 14 days of departure.