How to Use China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Eligible Routes and Layout

Last Updated: August 2026

Editorial note: Published by 紧风, ChinaTravel.WIKI Editor. The policy details below were checked and corrected by volunteer local expert Priscilla Lam. Immigration rules can change, and border officers make the final eligibility decision in each case.

Short answer: China’s current transit facility is the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy. It replaced the old 72-hour and 144-hour arrangements in December 2024. It is not an ordinary tourist visa: eligible passport holders must be transiting through mainland China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket.

As of August 2026, the policy covers citizens of 57 countries and can be used at 65 eligible ports in 24 provincial-level regions. The permitted travel area depends on the port and the current National Immigration Administration (NIA) rules. Do not plan on being able to travel anywhere in China simply because you have 240 hours.

Who can use the 240-hour transit policy?

• You hold an ordinary passport from one of the eligible countries.
• You have a valid international travel document and a confirmed onward ticket with a date and seat.
• Your journey is from country/region A via mainland China to country/region B. Hong Kong and Macao count as separate regions for this purpose.
• You enter through an eligible port and stay only in that port’s permitted area for no more than 240 hours.

The eligible-country list grew after the original rollout. The NIA announced that Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added from 20 August 2026, bringing the total to 57. This policy is separate from China’s unilateral, mutual and Hainan visa-free entry arrangements, which have different conditions.

What to prepare before you fly

1. Check the exact port: Confirm that your arrival port is one of the current eligible ports, rather than assuming every airport qualifies.
2. Book the onward segment first: Keep the confirmed ticket to a third country or region ready to show. A flexible idea to “buy something later” is not enough.
3. Keep your route inside the allowed area: Check the NIA’s current appendix for the area linked to your arrival port. The allowed area is more flexible than the old 144-hour system in many places, but it is not unlimited nationwide travel.
4. Bring practical proof: Your hotel booking, rough itinerary and contact details make a border conversation easier if an officer asks about your stay.

At immigration: what actually happens

Look for the visa-free transit or temporary entry permit desk before joining the regular visitor queue. Present your passport and the onward-ticket confirmation, then answer clearly where you will stay and when you will depart. If approved, the officer issues a temporary entry permit and stamps your passport. Approval is assessed at the border; an airline’s willingness to board you is not a guarantee of entry.

The 240-hour period is intended for tourism, business visits, family visits and similar short activities within the allowed area. Work, study and news reporting still need the appropriate visa or prior approval.

Four realistic route patterns

1. Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou

This is a natural high-speed-rail route for travellers arriving in Shanghai. Use Shanghai as the international gateway, then build a relaxed loop through Suzhou and Hangzhou before leaving China for a third country or region. Check the current NIA area rules before ticketing every domestic segment.

2. Beijing and the capital region

For a first visit, Beijing can comfortably fill several days with the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, hutongs and a Great Wall day trip. Tianjin may fit a capital-region plan when it is included in the permitted area for your entry route; verify the current appendix instead of relying on an old blog post.

3. Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta

Travellers transiting between Hong Kong or Macao and an overseas destination can often build a practical Shenzhen–Guangzhou itinerary. It is especially convenient when the onward ticket is already part of the same regional journey. Confirm the port, permitted area and your exact land or rail crossing before departure.

4. A single western city break

Chengdu, Chongqing and Xi’an are better treated as focused city breaks, not as a rushed attempt to combine several distant regions in ten days. A panda visit and Sichuan food in Chengdu, or the Terracotta Army and City Wall in Xi’an, make much more sense when you allow time for arrival and the onward flight.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using an old 144-hour guide: The former name and geographic restrictions are often out of date.
• Returning to the same country: Transit means onward travel to a third country or region, not simply country A → China → country A.
• Mixing up entry policies: A nationality may have another visa-free option, but that does not automatically make it eligible for transit without a visa.
• Ignoring regional rules: The 240-hour clock does not give blanket permission to cross China at will.
• Leaving paperwork to airport Wi-Fi: Save ticket confirmations and hotel details offline before flying.

Official sources and final check

Before purchasing non-refundable flights, read the current NIA announcement for the country list, eligible ports and permitted stay areas, or call the China Immigration Service Hotline at 12367. The NIA’s English notice on the policy update is available at en.nia.gov.cn. For entry-card requirements, see the NIA’s 2025 implementation notice and complete the official form only through NIA channels.

A 240-hour route can give you a genuinely useful China trip without applying for a standard visa, but the order matters: verify nationality, transit routing, port and allowed area first; only then lock in domestic trains and hotels.