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Official-policy guide · Last verified August 19, 2026

China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Rules, Ports and Route Examples

China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy lets citizens of 55 listed countries apply for temporary visa-free entry while traveling through mainland China to a third country or region. It is not a general 10-day tourist visa waiver. Travelers must use a designated port, hold a confirmed onward itinerary departing within 240 hours, and remain within the permitted stay area.

Check the route patternSee all 65 ports
Planning information, not an immigration decision. Temporary entry is handled by Chinese immigration authorities at the port.
Quick answer

It is a transit policy—not general visa-free tourism.

Travelers sometimes call this a “China 240-hour transit visa,” but the official policy is visa-free transit. No visa is issued in advance under this policy; eligible travelers apply for temporary entry at immigration inspection after arriving at a designated port. Admission is not automatic.

Looking for ordinary visa-free tourism without an A → China → B itinerary? See the current China visa-free country guide

Answer checked 19 Aug 2026National Immigration Administration
Route-pattern pre-check

Are A and B actually different?

The international route must follow A → mainland China → B, where B is a different country or region from A. Passing this check satisfies only one condition, not the whole policy.

240-hour transit route-pattern pre-check

Check the international sequence

This checks one route condition only: the country or region immediately before mainland China must differ from the one immediately after it.

City names do not decide this. Los Angeles → Shanghai → New York is still United States → China → United States.

This tool checks itinerary structure only. It does not determine admission or issue a transit permit.Read the official policy (opens in a new tab)Checked 19 Aug 2026
Who can use it

A listed passport is only the first check.

U.S. citizens are on the current list. A U.S. passport alone does not establish eligibility: the traveler must also satisfy the travel-document, onward-destination, ticket, port, area and inspection conditions.

  1. 01

    Citizenship of one of the 55 countries in the current NIA list.

  2. 02

    A valid international travel document with at least three months of validity.

  3. 03

    Permission to enter the onward country or region.

  4. 04

    Confirmed onward arrangements and a departure date within 240 hours, or other accepted proof.

  5. 05

    Entry through a designated port and travel only inside official permitted stay areas.

  6. 06

    Completion of the Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners and cooperation with inspection.

Meeting this checklist allows a traveler to apply; it does not guarantee temporary entry.

All 55 transit-eligible passport countries

Official transit country list
Europe40

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

Americas6

Argentina · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Mexico · United States

Oceania2

Australia · New Zealand

Asia7

Brunei · Indonesia · Japan · Qatar · Singapore · South Korea · United Arab Emirates

A → China → B

Compare countries and regions—not cities.

Use the last international point immediately before mainland China and the first international point immediately after it. Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan can be treated as third regions for this rule. Official region guidance

Matches this route conditionUnited States → mainland China → Japan

A and B are different countries. Every other policy condition still needs to be checked.

Matches this route conditionUnited Kingdom → mainland China → Hong Kong SAR

Hong Kong is the onward region in this route-shape example. Admission is still not automatic.

Does not match this route conditionUnited States → mainland China → United States

Different U.S. cities or airports do not turn a same-country return into third-country transit.

How the clock worksArrival day→Next day · 00:00→Recorded deadline

The 240-hour stay is calculated from 00:00 on the day after entry, not from the aircraft’s landing time. If immigration records entry on May 1, the official count begins at 00:00 on May 2. Always check the departure deadline recorded when temporary entry is granted. Official timing answer

Ports & permitted areas

65 entry ports do not mean nationwide travel.

Each designated port is tied to an official permitted stay area. Some cover a whole province; Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan and Yunnan are limited to named places in the current table.

Beijing2 ports
Beijing Municipality

Beijing Capital International Airport · Beijing Daxing International Airport

Shanghai3 ports
Shanghai Municipality

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport · Shanghai Pudong International Airport · Shanghai Port (Passenger)

Guangdong10 ports
Guangdong Province

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport · Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport · Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport · Nansha Port (Passenger) · Shekou Port (Passenger) · Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal · Zhongshan Port (Passenger) · Hengqin Port · Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port · West Kowloon Station Port of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link

Sichuan2 ports
Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan and Ziyang

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport · Chengdu Tianfu International Airport

Open the complete searchable tableAll 65 designated entry ports
Current NIA 240-hour visa-free transit entry ports and permitted stay areas, checked 19 Aug 2026.
No.Province / regionDesignated entry portPermitted stay area
01BeijingBeijing Capital International AirportAirportBeijing Municipality
02BeijingBeijing Daxing International AirportAirportBeijing Municipality
03TianjinTianjin Binhai International AirportAirportTianjin Municipality
04TianjinTianjin Port (Passenger)Passenger portTianjin Municipality
05HebeiShijiazhuang Zhengding International AirportAirportHebei Province
06HebeiQinhuangdao Port (Passenger)Passenger portHebei Province
07LiaoningShenyang Taoxian International AirportAirportLiaoning Province
08LiaoningDalian Zhoushuizi International AirportAirportLiaoning Province
09LiaoningDalian Port (Passenger)Passenger portLiaoning Province
10ShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International AirportAirportShanghai Municipality
11ShanghaiShanghai Pudong International AirportAirportShanghai Municipality
12ShanghaiShanghai Port (Passenger)Passenger portShanghai Municipality
13JiangsuNanjing Lukou International AirportAirportJiangsu Province
14JiangsuSu'nan Shuofang International AirportAirportJiangsu Province
15JiangsuYangzhou Taizhou International AirportAirportJiangsu Province
16JiangsuLianyungang Port (Passenger)Passenger portJiangsu Province
17ZhejiangHangzhou Xiaoshan International AirportAirportZhejiang Province
18ZhejiangNingbo Lishe International AirportAirportZhejiang Province
19ZhejiangWenzhou Longwan International AirportAirportZhejiang Province
20ZhejiangYiwu AirportAirportZhejiang Province
21ZhejiangWenzhou Port (Passenger)Passenger portZhejiang Province
22ZhejiangZhoushan Port (Passenger)Passenger portZhejiang Province
23AnhuiHefei Xinqiao International AirportAirportAnhui Province
24AnhuiHuangshan Tunxi International AirportAirportAnhui Province
25FujianFuzhou Changle International AirportAirportFujian Province
26FujianXiamen Gaoqi International AirportAirportFujian Province
27FujianQuanzhou Jinjiang International AirportAirportFujian Province
28FujianWuyishan AirportAirportFujian Province
29FujianXiamen Port (Passenger)Passenger portFujian Province
30ShandongJinan Yaoqiang International AirportAirportShandong Province
31ShandongQingdao Jiaodong International AirportAirportShandong Province
32ShandongYantai Penglai International AirportAirportShandong Province
33ShandongWeihai Dashuipo International AirportAirportShandong Province
34ShandongQingdao Port (Passenger)Passenger portShandong Province
35HenanZhengzhou Xinzheng International AirportAirportHenan Province
36HubeiWuhan Tianhe International AirportAirportHubei Province
37HunanChangsha Huanghua International AirportAirportHunan Province
38HunanZhangjiajie Hehua International AirportAirportHunan Province
39GuangdongGuangzhou Baiyun International AirportAirportGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
40GuangdongShenzhen Bao'an International AirportAirportGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
41GuangdongJieyang Chaoshan International AirportAirportGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
42GuangdongNansha Port (Passenger)Passenger portGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
43GuangdongShekou Port (Passenger)Passenger portGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
44GuangdongGuangzhou Pazhou Ferry TerminalFerry terminalGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
45GuangdongZhongshan Port (Passenger)Passenger portGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
46GuangdongHengqin PortLand portGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
47GuangdongHong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge PortLand portGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
48GuangdongWest Kowloon Station Port of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail LinkRail portGuangdong ProvinceExits are available at all open ports across Guangdong Province.
49HainanHaikou Meilan International AirportAirportHainan Province
50HainanSanya Phoenix International AirportAirportHainan Province
51ChongqingChongqing Jiangbei International AirportAirportChongqing Municipality
52GuizhouGuiyang Longdongbao International AirportAirportGuizhou Province
53ShaanxiXi'an Xianyang International AirportAirportShaanxi Province
54ShanxiTaiyuan Wusu International AirportAirportTaiyuan and Datong only
55HeilongjiangHarbin Taiping International AirportAirportHarbin only
56JiangxiNanchang Changbei International AirportAirportNanchang and Jingdezhen only
57GuangxiNanning Wuxu International AirportAirportNanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi and Laibin
58GuangxiGuilin Liangjiang International AirportAirportNanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi and Laibin
59GuangxiBeihai Fucheng AirportAirportNanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi and Laibin
60GuangxiBeihai Port (Passenger)Passenger portNanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi and Laibin
61SichuanChengdu Shuangliu International AirportAirportChengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan and Ziyang
62SichuanChengdu Tianfu International AirportAirportChengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan and Ziyang
63YunnanKunming Changshui International AirportAirportKunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali and Lijiang
64YunnanLijiang Sanyi International AirportAirportKunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali and Lijiang
65YunnanMohan Railway PortRail portKunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali and Lijiang

The table is a human-readable transcription of the current NIA image. English spacing and the common apostrophe in “Xi’an” are normalized for readability.

Check the current NIA notice
Documents & arrival

Check before departure, again at the port.

Work, study, news reporting and other activities requiring prior approval are outside this transit permission and require the appropriate visa in advance.

01

Before departure

Verify nationality, document validity, entry rights for B, confirmed onward travel, both ports and every planned mainland China stop.

02

At immigration

Follow port instructions, present the travel document and onward proof, complete the Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners and request temporary entry.

03

After admission

Read the recorded deadline, remain inside the permitted area and complete accommodation registration through the hotel or local police as required.

Common mistakes

Seven assumptions to remove before booking.

  1. Treating A → China → A as a third-destination transit.
  2. Assuming an eligible passport is sufficient by itself.
  3. Relying on an open, standby or unconfirmed onward plan.
  4. Confusing 240-hour temporary entry with 24-hour airside transit.
  5. Counting from landing time instead of the next day at 00:00.
  6. Assuming the 24 covered regions allow travel everywhere in mainland China.
  7. Ignoring B’s entry rules or using the policy for work, study or news reporting.
Route examples

Build the China stop around a real gateway.

These examples reuse the site’s practical route data. They illustrate route shape and city logistics; they do not guarantee a traveler’s temporary entry.

Shanghai gateway9 days

9-Day Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou 240-Hour Transit Route

United States → mainland China → Japan

Shanghai → Suzhou → Hangzhou → Shanghai

Route-shape example only. The traveler must still satisfy every other official condition.Open the route example
Beijing gateway8 days

8-Day Beijing, Chengde & Tianjin 240-Hour Transit Route

United States → mainland China → South Korea

Beijing → Chengde → Tianjin

Route-shape example only. Confirm the actual tickets, ports, timing and permitted area.Open the route example

Planning Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou? Use the complete Lower Yangtze city-and-rail guide for logistics, then check your own international sequence separately.

A normal return or a longer multi-region holiday may instead need a tourist visa. Compare the 14-day route from Los Angeles or the 14-day route from New York.

FAQ

Eight direct answers before you buy.

Every answer below is generated from the same source as the page’s FAQ structured data.

01Can U.S. citizens use China’s 240-hour visa-free transit?

Yes. The United States is one of the 55 countries listed by China’s National Immigration Administration. U.S. citizens must still meet every other condition, including passport validity, confirmed onward travel to a third country or region, use of a designated port, and the permitted-stay-area rules.

02Is the policy a general 10-day visa-free visit to China?

No. It is a transit policy for a journey through mainland China to a third country or region, not a general tourist visa waiver. Eligible travelers apply for temporary entry at immigration inspection, and admission is not automatic.

03Does United States → mainland China → United States meet the transit rule?

No. That itinerary returns to the same country instead of continuing to a third country or region. United States → mainland China → Japan matches the A–China–different-B route condition, but all other policy requirements still apply.

04Do Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as third regions?

Yes. Current official government guidance states that Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan are treated as third regions for this transit policy. The traveler must still meet every other condition and the entry requirements for that next region.

05When does the 240-hour period begin?

The National Immigration Administration states that the visa-free stay is calculated from 00:00 on the day after entry. Travelers should check the departure deadline recorded by immigration when temporary entry is granted.

06Can I travel anywhere in mainland China during the 240 hours?

No. Travelers must remain within the official permitted stay areas linked to the designated ports. The policy covers ports in 24 provincial-level regions, but some permitted areas are narrower than an entire province.

07What onward-travel proof is required?

The official conditions require confirmed onward arrangements and a departure date within 240 hours, or other accepted proof, for travel to a third country or region. The traveler must also meet that destination’s entry requirements.

08Is temporary entry guaranteed if I meet the checklist?

No. Meeting the published conditions allows a traveler to apply for visa-free temporary entry. Immigration inspection authorities review the documents and handle temporary-entry formalities at the port.

Official sources

Claim-level links, not a copied policy blog.

Policy facts last reviewed 19 Aug 2026. Rules can change; verify the current NIA notice and your exact itinerary before purchase. For official consultation, contact the China Immigration Service hotline at 12367.

Current totals, passport validity, onward proof, arrival process and timerNIA — current 55-country, 65-port announcement and conditionsThe 65 designated entry ports and their permitted stay areasNIA — current eligible-port and permitted-area tableCross-province travel and the restricted city-level areasNIA — 24-region expansion backgroundHong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan as onward regionsChinese Government — official guide to third regionsDifferent cities in the same country do not create a third-country transitShanghai border inspection — same-country route exampleThe count begins at 00:00 on the day after entryShanghai border inspection — how the 240 hours are calculatedAccommodation registration and exceptional-stay proceduresNIA press conference — stay, registration and area conditions
Policy update log

Dec 2024 240-hour policy expanded to 60 ports in 24 provincial-level regions.

Jun 2025 Indonesia added, bringing the nationality list to 55.

Nov 2025 Five Guangdong ports added, bringing the designated entry-port list to 65.

Aug 2026 ChinaTrip rechecked the current NIA conditions, country list and port-area table.

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