What is the 240-hour transit visa-free policy?
UPDATED 2026: Citizens of 57 countries can enter China visa-free for 240 hours (10 days) when transiting to a third country (not your home country). Must enter/exit through designated ports and stay within approved regions. No advance application — apply at immigration on arrival with passport + onward ticket. US, Canada, UK, Australia all qualify.
Quick answer
UPDATED 2026: Citizens of 57 countries can enter China visa-free for 240 hours (10 days) when transiting to a third country (not your home country). Must enter/exit through designated ports and stay within approved regions. No advance application — apply at immigration on arrival with passport + onward ticket. US, Canada, UK, Australia all qualify.
Detailed answer
Eligibility & Key Rules
57 eligible countries: All EU countries, UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Russia, Ukraine, and more.
Third-country transit requirement: You must enter China from Country A and depart to Country B (B ≠ A ≠ your home country). Example: USA → Shanghai → Japan qualifies. USA → Shanghai → USA does NOT qualify.
240 hours = 10 days from entry date. The entry day counts as Day 1. You must depart by 23:59 on Day 10.
No advance application needed. Apply at the immigration counter on arrival. Fill out a brief arrival card (available on the plane or at the airport).
Required documents: Passport (valid 3+ months), confirmed onward ticket to a third country within 240 hours, hotel booking or invitation letter.
Can enter and exit through DIFFERENT designated ports (e.g., fly into Shanghai, take train to Beijing, fly out of Beijing) — as long as both are in the approved transit region.
Approved Regions & Ports of Entry
Major transit regions (each covers multiple cities/provinces): Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai + Jiangsu + Zhejiang), Pearl River Delta (Guangdong), Sichuan-Chongqing, Liaoning, Shandong, Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, etc.
Designated ports of entry include: Beijing Capital & Daxing, Shanghai Pudong & Hongqiao, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Chengdu Tianfu & Shuangliu, Chongqing Jiangbei, Xi'an Xianyang, Hangzhou Xiaoshan, Nanjing Lukou, Xiamen Gaoqi, Qingdao Liuting, etc.
You must stay WITHIN the approved transit region. For example, if you enter via Shanghai, you can travel within Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang — but NOT to Beijing (different region).
To visit multiple regions, you need to exit and re-enter through a port in the next region (counts as a new transit).
Hainan has a SEPARATE 30-day visa-free policy for 61 countries — no transit requirement. See our visa guide for details.
Transit vs Unilateral Visa-Free — Which Applies?
Unilateral visa-free (30 days): Covers 40+ countries (France, Germany, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, etc.). NO transit requirement — you can enter and exit from the same country. Standalone entry.
240-hour transit: Covers 57 countries (includes US, Canada, and others NOT in the unilateral list). REQUIRES third-country transit. Only 10 days.
If your country is in BOTH lists (e.g., UK, Germany, France, Japan, Australia), use the unilateral 30-day visa-free — it's more flexible (no transit requirement, longer stay).
If your country is ONLY in the transit list (e.g., US, Canada, India, South Africa), the 240-hour transit is your best visa-free option — plan a multi-country itinerary (e.g., USA → China → Japan/Korea/Thailand).
US passport holders: NOT eligible for unilateral visa-free. Use 240-hour transit or apply for a 10-year L visa (multiple entries, 60 days per stay).
Both policies can be combined: Enter via unilateral visa-free, exit to a third country, re-enter via transit visa-free for another 10 days.