China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: A Quick Guide for Travelers

1.What is China’s visa-free transit policy? 

Visa-free transit is one of China’s visa exemption policies that are provided to eligible foreigners coming from selected countries. 

Under the visa-free transit policy, foreign travelers can enjoy a 10-day stay (240-hour stay) in certain Chinese cities without a visa, provided they come from 54 eligible countries, enter and exit China from eligible ports, stay within the allowed cities and regions, as well as satisfy other requirements.

 

2. Which countries’ citizens are eligible for China’s visa-free transit policy?

To obtain this visa exemption, the foreign national must have a valid passport from one of the 55 countries, which are: 

• 40 countries in the Europe：Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,Estonia, Finland,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Iceland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Malta, Netherlands,Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus,Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway
• 6 countries in the Americas:the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile
• 2 countries in Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
• 7 countries in Asia: Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Indonesia

It should be noted that the following countries can enjoy China's unilateral 30-day visa-free entry policy: Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. Holding valid ordinary passports can be exempted from visa requirement if entering into China for the purpose of business, tourism, family or friends visits, exchange and transit.They can stay in China for no more than 30 days without visa.

3.What are the requirements for China’s visa-free transit policy? 

As per the requirements of China’s National Immigration Authority (NIA), people applying for the 240-hour visa-free transit must have: 

• A valid passport or another international travel document that is valid for more than three months from the arrival date;
• An interline ticket (connecting ticket) with the confirmed departure date and seat number leaving for a third country or region within 240 hours;
• The landing card for foreigners in transit that is filled out upon arrival in China.You may also be required to answer some questions at immigration control upon arrival.
• After entering the country, foreign tourists can travel and travel across provinces within the designated areas of 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) such as Beijing, which are subject to the transit visa-free policy. During the trip, it is necessary to pay attention to the reasonable planning of the tourist route according to the permitted stay activity area, and shall not exceed the scope of stay.
• During your stay in China, you must comply with Chinese laws and regulations and register your accommodation at your hotel or police station within 24 hours after entering the country. Visa-free foreign travelers can stay in China for no more than 240 hours, during which they can engage in tourism, business, visits, family visits and other activities. If there is a need to stay in China beyond the prescribed time limit or beyond the permitted area for urgent and reasonable reasons or force majeure, the applicant shall apply for a stay permit in advance with the exit and entry administration department of the local public security organ.

4.Under what circumstances can the visa-free transit be denied? 

The immigration officers at the border may refuse to issue you a temporary entry permit in any of the following circumstances:

• If you are not allowed to enter China under Chinese laws or administrative regulations;
• If your passport or other international travel document is expiring in less than three months, or contains a previous stamp of rejection by a Chinese visa-issuing agency;
• If you have previously illegally entered or exited China, illegally resided in China, or illegally worked in China in the last five years;
• If you have a record of violating accommodation registration regulations in the last two years, and the circumstances were considered “severe”; and
• If you are not going to a third country after leaving China (as the visa-free transit policy applies only to travelers bound for a third country and therefore transiting through China).

China’s visa-free policy is not applicable to crew members of international aircraft or ships or their accompanying family members.

FAQs

Q1: How is the 240-hour visa-free transit period calculated?

A: After the border inspection authority issues a temporary entry permit to the traveler, the 240-hour visa-free stay period starts from 00:00 the next day after entry. The traveler can stay in the designated administrative areas for 240 hours without a visa.

Q2: How can foreigners who meet the conditions apply for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy?

A: Eligible travelers can show their valid entry and exit documents and a connecting ticket with a confirmed date and seat to a third country (or region) within 240 hours to the staff of the transportation vehicle at check-in. The person in charge of the transportation vehicle will report to the border inspection before arriving at the port. After verification, the border inspection will handle the 144-hour visa-free transit procedures.

Q3: If I haven’t bought a ticket for departure when entering China and plan to buy a ticket to a third country within 240 hours after entry, can I apply for the 240-hour visa-free transit?

A: No. According to the regulations, foreigners who meet the conditions for the 240-hour visa-free transit must hold a connecting ticket with a confirmed date and seat. This means you must have already purchased the departure ticket before entering China.

Q4: Can I apply for this policy if I am coming from the U.S. to a city in Shanghai, China that has a 240-hour transit visa-free policy, and have confirmed a 240-hour return ticket to return to the U.S.??

A: No. According to the regulations, the 240-hour transit visa exemption policy applies to foreigners transiting to a third country or region. Therefore, the country of departure and the country of destination must be different. So, if you are departing from the United States to Shanghai, China for 240 hours, your return ticket must be to a destination other than the United States.However, if you travel to Hong Kong or Macau after your trip in Shanghai, your return ticket destination can be the United States, as Hong Kong and Macau are considered third countries and regions other than Chinese mainland for the purposes of this policy.

Q5: What should foreigners applying for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy pay attention to?

A:You are required to abide by all Chinese laws and regulations during your stay, and you cannot leave the permitted scope of travel or exceed the permitted duration of the transit.

Q6: What should foreigners do if they cannot leave within 240 hours due to special reasons after entering China with the 240-hour visa-free transit?

A: In case of force majeure or other reasons requiring a stay beyond 240 hours in the visa-free area, they should apply for the corresponding stay permit from the public security authority’s exit and entry administration department as per regulations.