China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Guide: Eligibility, Ports, and Rules

China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy lets eligible travelers enter without applying for a visa when they are transiting to a third country or region. It is not a general 10-day visa-free visit: the traveler must satisfy the nationality, document, onward-travel, port, and inspection conditions.

Checked on July 17, 2026: the current National Immigration Administration (NIA) rules cover nationals of 55 countries, 65 designated entry ports, and permitted areas in 24 provincial-level regions. The final decision is made during immigration inspection at the port.

TL;DR: You need an eligible nationality, an international travel document valid for at least three months, and confirmed onward travel to a third country or region within 240 hours. If approved, the 240-hour period is counted from 00:00 on the day after entry. Travelers may move across provincial boundaries, but only within the officially permitted areas, and must leave through a port covered by the policy.

Direct Answer: Current 240-Hour Transit Rules

This is a visa exemption, not a visa issued in advance. Do not describe it as a “240-hour transit visa” when checking eligibility with an airline or immigration authority.

Eligible Nationalities: 55 Countries

The current official list contains:

• 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;
• Americas (6): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, United States;
• Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand;
• Asia (7): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates.

Eligibility is based on nationality and the international travel document presented. A residence permit or a departure point in an eligible country does not by itself satisfy the nationality condition.

The Third-Country-or-Region Rule

The itinerary must continue through China to a third country or region. The onward ticket must have confirmed arrangements and a departure date within 240 hours.

• Qualifying pattern: Country or region A → China → Country or region B.
• Not a third-destination transit: Country or region A → China → the same country or region A.

For example, Beijing's official inbound guide uses Beijing → Hong Kong as an onward sector in a qualifying transit example. The next destination must still accept the traveler, and the ticket and document details must match.

Separate tickets can create practical carrier or connection issues. The NIA requirement is an interline ticket or other proof of onward arrangements with a confirmed departure date, but immigration officers make the on-site decision.

Entry Ports and Cross-Province Travel

The policy currently has 65 designated entry ports in 24 provincial-level regions. Five Guangdong ports were added in November 2025: Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Hengqin Port, Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Port, Zhongshan Port (Passenger), and West Kowloon Station Port of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link.

The 65-port list includes airports, seaports, railway stations, and land-border facilities. Use the current NIA port table rather than assuming that every international port participates.

The current policy allows cross-province travel within the officially permitted areas. It is therefore no longer correct to say that a traveler entering in Shanghai is confined only to Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. The permitted areas are:

• Entire provincial-level region: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou;
• Heilongjiang: Harbin;
• Shanxi: Taiyuan and Datong;
• Jiangxi: Nanchang and Jingdezhen;
• Guangxi: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin;
• Sichuan: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, and Ziyang;
• Yunnan: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, and Lijiang.

Plan both entry and departure through ports covered by the policy, and do not travel outside these permitted areas.

Arrival Card and Port Procedure

Since November 20, 2025, foreign travelers can submit arrival information before travel through official NIA channels. Travelers unable to do so in advance can complete it at the port by QR code, a port device, or a paper arrival card. The official online arrival-card service is free.

For a 240-hour visa-free transit application:

1. Confirm that your nationality, travel document, route, entry port, permitted travel area, and onward arrangements meet the current rules.
2. Complete the arrival information online through an official NIA channel or at the port.
3. Apply to immigration inspection at the designated entry port.
4. Present the international travel document and the confirmed onward ticket or other proof requested for the third country or region.
5. Cooperate with the officer's questions and inspection. Entry and the temporary-entry formalities remain subject to approval at the port.

Keep accommodation and itinerary details available. Names, document numbers, dates, and onward bookings should be consistent across the arrival information and supporting records.

After Entry: Stay Within the Conditions

The NIA says travelers admitted under the policy must stay within the permitted areas and leave within the allowed period. If an emergency, force majeure, or another legitimate reason requires a longer stay or travel beyond the permitted area, apply in advance to the local public security exit-entry administration for the appropriate stay document.

Accommodation registration is also required. Hotels handle registration for their guests. A foreigner staying somewhere other than a hotel, or the host, must complete accommodation registration with the local public security authority within 24 hours of arrival at that accommodation. An online accommodation-registration pilot is available in certain regions, but it is not a nationwide replacement for the local requirement.

References

• NIA: conditions, 65 ports, 240-hour clock, and online arrival card
• NIA: current visa-free transit policy and 55-country list
• NIA: official arrival-card channels and fraud warning
• NIA: permitted areas, cross-province travel, and stay obligations
• NIA: accommodation registration outside hotels
• Beijing government: application requirements and on-site decision