China offers multiple transit visa-free policies for travelers passing through on their way to a third destination. The policy you can use depends on how long you are staying and which city you are entering through.
The Three Transit Visa-Free Options
24-Hour Transit (All Ports Nationwide)
The most flexible option. Available at all open ports throughout China. If you hold a valid international travel document and a confirmed onward ticket departing within 24 hours, you can:
- Stay in the port's restricted area without any additional permit
- Apply for a temporary entry permit at the border inspection if you need to leave the restricted area (for a hotel, for example)
This covers virtually everyone, regardless of nationality, as long as you have a transit ticket. The 24-hour clock starts at the scheduled arrival time.
144-Hour Transit (20+ Cities)
Citizens of 54 countries can stay up to 144 hours (6 days) in designated regions. This includes most of Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and parts of Asia.
Participating regions and their ports include:
- Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region — Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang airports and seaports
- Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang region — Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Nanjing, Hangzhou airports and ports
- Guangdong region — Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an airports
- Liaoning — Shenyang and Dalian
- Sichuan — Chengdu
- Shaanxi — Xi'an
- And more — a total of 20+ regions
Within each region, you can travel between cities. For example, entering through Shanghai Pudong, you can visit Suzhou and Hangzhou, and depart from Nanjing Airport. You cannot, however, enter through Shanghai and travel to Beijing — that crosses regional boundaries.
240-Hour Transit (Select Cities)
A newer option allowing 10 days. Currently available at Chongqing, Xi'an, and Xiamen ports. The same 54-country list applies. You must stay within the administrative boundaries of the entry city.
Who Qualifies
The 54 eligible countries include: all EU member states, the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and others. The full list is published by the National Immigration Administration.
Key Rules That Cause Problems
- The onward ticket must go to a third country/region. Flying from London to Beijing to Tokyo qualifies. Flying from London to Beijing to London does not. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as third regions.
- You must stay within the administrative region. Each transit policy is tied to specific geographic boundaries. Leave the region and you have left your legal transit zone.
- The clock starts at midnight after arrival (same as visa-free stays). If you arrive at 11 PM, your first "day" does not begin counting until the next midnight.
- You cannot extend a transit stay. If you miss your onward flight, you must leave the transit region and go directly to a port to depart — or deal with overstay consequences.
