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The National Immigration Administration (NIA) of China has announced that nationals of shall be eligible for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy starting June 12, 2025. This expands the list of eligible countries to 55.

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) of China has a major expansion and optimization of its visa-free transit policy, effective December 17, 2024. Under the upgraded policy, eligible foreign travelers transiting through China can now stay for up to , a significant extension from the previous 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit policy. In addition, 21 new ports have been added, increasing the total number of visa-free entry/exit points to 60 across 24 provinces. Read more . 

According to the General Administration of Customs Announcement [2024] No. 96, the railway ports for the four cross-border conventional trains (Intercity Through Trains) between mainland China and Hong Kong at Beijing West Station, Shanghai Station, Guangzhou, and Dongguan have been closed since July 31, 2024. The closure of these railway ports does not affect the operation of high-speed passenger trains between the mainland and Hong Kong. The content of this article has been amended accordingly. 

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The National Immigration Administration (NIA) of China has continuously expanded the country’s visa-free transit policy. Under the upgraded policy, eligible foreign travelers from transiting through China can now stay for up to , a significant extension from the previous . In addition,  have been added, increasing the total number of visa-free entry/exit points to .

will be considered illegal entry to the country. 

This article explains how China’s visa-free transit policy works and summarizes some frequently asked questions.  

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 (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. The extended stay duration from 72 hours/144 hours to 10 days is one of the most substantial upgrades in recent years.  

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

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

You may also be required to answer some questions at immigration control upon arrival.  

Despite the name, China’s visa-free transit policy does not mean you can travel to any city in the country. First introduced to three cities in East China’s Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang area in 2016, the country’s visa-free transit policy has expanded multiple times.

On December 17, 2024, an additional 21 ports were added to China’s visa-free transit program, covering major international airports in regions such as Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Jiangxi, Shandong, Hunan, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, and Guizhou.

Key newly added ports include:

With these additions, the total number of eligible ports has expanded from .

Broader eligible regions

Foreign travelers under this program can now access 24 provinces across China, up from 19 previously. The newly added regions include .

The eligible cities, corresponding entry ports, and scope of permitted travel areas are listed in the table below.  

Scope of China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy
1	Beijing	Beijing Capital International Airport	Beijing
2		Beijing Daxing International Airport
3	Tianjin	Tianjin Binhai International Airport	Tianjin
4		Tianjin Seaport (Passenger)
5	Hebei	Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport	Hebei Province
		Qinhuangdao Seaport (Passenger)
7	Liaoning	Shenyang Taoxian International Airport	Liaoning Province
8		Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
9		Dalian Seaport (Passenger)
10	Shanghai	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport	Shanghai
11		Shanghai Pudong International Airport
12		Shanghai Seaport (Passenger)
13	Jiangsu	Nanjing Lukou International Airport	Jiangsu Province
14
15
16		Lianyungang Seaport (Passenger)
17	Zhejiang	Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport	Zhejiang Province
18		Ningbo Lishe International Airport
19
20
21		Wenzhou Seaport (Passenger)
22		Zhoushan Seaport (Passenger)
23
24
25	Fujian
26		Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
27
28
29		Xiamen Seaport (Passenger)
30	Shandong		Shandong Province
31		Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
32
33
34		Qingdao Seaport (Passenger)
35	Henan	Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport	Henan Province
36	Hubei	Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
37	Hunan	Changsha Huanghua International Airport	Hunan Province
38
39	Guangdong	Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport	Guangdong Province (can exit through any of Guang Dong’s international airport
40		Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
41		Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
42		Nansha Seaport (Passenger)
43		Shekou Seaport (Passenger)
44
45
46	Chongqing	Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport	Chongqing City
47
48	Shaanxi	Xi’an Xianyang International Airport
49
50	Heilongjiang	Harbin Taiping International Airport	Harbin
51
52	Guangxi		12 cities: Guilin,Beihai,
53		Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
54
55		Beihai Seaport (Passenger)
56	Sichuan	Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport	11 cities: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Suining, Leshan, Deyang, Neijiang, Yibin, Ya’an, Meishan, and Ziyang.
57
58	Yunnan	Kunming Changshui International Airport	9 cities: Kunming, Chuxiong, Yuxi, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu’er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, and Lijiang.
59		Lijiang Sanyi International Airport
60		Mohan Railway Port

*Bolded are newly added ports, provinces, or areas of stay.

It is therefore important to pay attention to the permitted arrival airports, railway stations, or cruise ports when planning your trip, and to make sure that your itinerary during your stay in China is within the permitted areas, to ensure you do not inadvertently cross into an area where you are not permitted or exit the country illegally.

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

• 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.

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.

If you stay in a hotel during your visit, the hotel will register your stay with the local police station using your passport or another international travel document (you will not be required to go to the police station in person, the hotel will only require to take a copy of your passport when you check in). Note that due to this requirement, not all hotels are able to host foreign guests. It is therefore best to check with the hotel in advance to ensure that they can accept foreign guests. (Read more here: Temporary Residence Registration in China – A Guide for Foreign Residents and Visitors)

If you stay in another place, such as at a friend or family member’s home, you and your host must go and register at the local public security bureau (usually a police station, but it could also be a service station for foreigners) within 24 hours of your arrival. You will need to bring your passport, as well as your host’s housing contract (proof of address) and identification card. Online channels exist in some cities such as Shanghai. In practice, many foreign travelers may simply skip this step as it can be cumbersome, but this could lead to unexpected problems in some cases, such as when the foreign traveler has to deal with police officers during some formal procedures.

In the event of an unexpected incident where you need to stay beyond 240 hours, you must apply to the immigration department at the local public security bureau for a corresponding stay permit.

You will be liable for punishment by the immigration authorities or border forces if you leave the permitted area, overstay the entry permit duration, or fail to register your accommodation in accordance with the law

China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy is an excellent option for short stopovers in China when traveling to a third country. With the many different ports available, you can now explore multiple areas of the country by choosing an entry port that covers the places you want to go to without having to apply for a tourist visa.

Also Read:

A Complete Guide to China’s Visa-Free Policies