China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Checker (55 countries, 2026 update)
55 eligible countries (2026)
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy is open to ordinary passport holders from these 55 countries. Grouped by continent per the Shanghai government portal and the December 2024 NIA announcement (with Indonesia added June 2025).
Europe (40)
- 🇦🇹 Austria AT
- 🇧🇪 Belgium BE
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic CZ
- 🇩🇰 Denmark DK
- 🇪🇪 Estonia EE
- 🇫🇮 Finland FI
- 🇫🇷 France FR
- 🇩🇪 Germany DE
- 🇬🇷 Greece GR
- 🇭🇺 Hungary HU
- 🇮🇸 Iceland IS
- 🇮🇹 Italy IT
- 🇱🇻 Latvia LV
- 🇱🇹 Lithuania LT
- 🇱🇺 Luxembourg LU
- 🇲🇹 Malta MT
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands NL
- 🇳🇴 Norway NO
- 🇵🇱 Poland PL
- 🇵🇹 Portugal PT
- 🇸🇰 Slovakia SK
- 🇸🇮 Slovenia SI
- 🇪🇸 Spain ES
- 🇸🇪 Sweden SE
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland CH
- 🇲🇨 Monaco MC
- 🇷🇺 Russia RU
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom GB
- 🇮🇪 Ireland IE
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus CY
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria BG
- 🇷🇴 Romania RO
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine UA
- 🇷🇸 Serbia RS
- 🇭🇷 Croatia HR
- 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina BA
- 🇲🇪 Montenegro ME
- 🇲🇰 North Macedonia MK
- 🇦🇱 Albania AL
- 🇧🇾 Belarus BY
Americas (6)
- 🇺🇸 United States US
- 🇨🇦 Canada CA
- 🇧🇷 Brazil BR
- 🇲🇽 Mexico MX
- 🇦🇷 Argentina AR
- 🇨🇱 Chile CL
Oceania (2)
- 🇦🇺 Australia AU
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand NZ
Asia (7)
- 🇰🇷 South Korea KR
- 🇯🇵 Japan JP
- 🇸🇬 Singapore SG
- 🇧🇳 Brunei BN
- 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates AE
- 🇶🇦 Qatar QA
- 🇮🇩 Indonesia ID
24 allowed provinces and entry ports
Since November 2024, you can cross provinces freely within the allowed 24 provinces. Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Gansu, Qinghai, and Ningxia are excluded from this policy.
| Province | Coverage | Allowed cities | Entry ports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing (Běijīng) | Full province | Beijing only | PEK (Capital), PKX (Daxing) |
| Tianjin (Tiānjīn) | Full province | Tianjin | TSN (Binhai), Tianjin Seaport |
| Hebei (Héběi) | Full province | All Hebei (Chengde, Shijiazhuang, etc.) | SJW (Shijiazhuang), Qinhuangdao Seaport |
| Shanxi (Shānxī) | Restricted | Taiyuan, Datong only | TYN (Taiyuan Wusu) |
| Liaoning (Liáoníng) | Full province | All Liaoning (Shenyang, Dalian, etc.) | SHE (Shenyang Taoxian), DLC (Dalian Zhoushuizi), Dalian Seaport |
| Heilongjiang (Hēilóngjiāng) | Restricted | Harbin only | HRB (Harbin Taiping) |
| Shanghai (Shànghǎi) | Full province | Shanghai | SHA (Hongqiao), PVG (Pudong), Shanghai Seaport |
| Jiangsu (Jiāngsū) | Full province | All Jiangsu (Nanjing, Suzhou, etc.) | NKG (Nanjing), WUX (Sunan), YTY (Yangzhou/Taizhou), Lianyungang Seaport |
| Zhejiang (Zhèjiāng) | Full province | All Zhejiang (Hangzhou, Wenzhou, etc.) | HGH (Hangzhou Xiaoshan), NGB (Ningbo), WNZ (Wenzhou), YIW (Yiwu), Wenzhou Seaport, Zhoushan Seaport |
| Anhui (Ānhuī) | Full province | All Anhui (Hefei, Huangshan, etc.) | HFE (Hefei Xinqiao), TXN (Huangshan) |
| Fujian (Fújiàn) | Full province | All Fujian (Fuzhou, Xiamen, etc.) | FOC (Fuzhou), XMN (Xiamen Gaoqi), JJN (Quanzhou), WUS (Wuyishan), Xiamen Seaport |
| Jiangxi (Jiāngxī) | Restricted | Nanchang, Jingdezhen only | KHN (Nanchang Changbei) |
| Shandong (Shāndōng) | Full province | All Shandong (Qingdao, Jinan, Qufu, etc.) | TNA (Jinan), TAO (Qingdao Jiaodong), YNT (Yantai Penglai), WEH (Weihai), Qingdao Seaport |
| Henan (Hénán) | Full province | All Henan (Zhengzhou, Dengfeng, Luoyang, etc.) | CGO (Zhengzhou Xinzheng) |
| Hubei (Húběi) | Full province | All Hubei (Wuhan, Yichang, etc.) | WUH (Wuhan Tianhe) |
| Hunan (Húnán) | Full province | All Hunan (Changsha, Zhangjiajie, etc.) | CSX (Changsha Huanghua), DYG (Zhangjiajie Hehua) |
| Guangdong (Guǎngdōng) | Full province | All Guangdong (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, etc.) | CAN (Guangzhou), SZX (Shenzhen), SWA (Jieyang), Nansha Seaport, Shekou Seaport, plus HZMB & West Kowloon |
| Guangxi (Guǎngxī) | Restricted | 12 cities: Nanning, Guilin, Liuzhou, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, Laibin | NNG (Nanning Wuxu), KWL (Guilin Liangjiang), BHY (Beihai Fucheng), Beihai Seaport |
| Hainan (Hǎinán) | Full province | All Hainan (Haikou, Sanya, etc.) | HAK (Haikou Meilan), SYX (Sanya Phoenix) |
| Chongqing (Chóngqìng) | Full province | Chongqing | CKG (Jiangbei) |
| Sichuan (Sìchuān) | Restricted | 11 cities: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, Ziyang | CTU (Chengdu Shuangliu), TFU (Chengdu Tianfu) |
| Guizhou (Guìzhōu) | Full province | All Guizhou (Guiyang, Kaili, etc.) | KWE (Guiyang Longdongbao) |
| Yunnan (Yúnnán) | Restricted | 9 cities: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang | KMG (Kunming Changshui), LJG (Lijiang Sanyi), Mohan Railway Port |
| Shaanxi (Shǎnxī) | Full province | All Shaanxi (Xi'an, Yan'an, etc.) | XIY (Xi'an Xianyang) |
⚠️ 7 excluded provinces: Inner Mongolia · Jilin · Tibet · Gansu · Qinghai · Ningxia · Xinjiang — entering these on a 240h transit is a violation and may result in fines, detention, or future visa denial.
240h transit vs 30-day visa-free vs L-visa
If your country is on the lists below, you may have multiple options. Here's how they compare.
| Feature | 240h transit (this page) | 30-day visa-free | L-visa (regular) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max stay | 10 days (240h) | 30 days | 30-90 days |
| Eligible countries | 55 (mostly EU, US, UK, JP, KR) | 50 (mostly EU, AU, NZ, JP, KR) | All countries |
| Onward ticket | Required (3rd country) | Not required | Not required |
| Pre-application | None (in-flight form) | None | Embassy/consulate, 4-7 days |
| Cost | Free | Free | $140+ L-visa fee |
| Allowed area | 24 provinces (no Tibet/Xinjiang) | All mainland China | All mainland China |
| When valid | Permanent (no expiry) | Until Dec 31, 2026 | Permanent |
Pro tip: If your passport is on the 30-day list AND the 240h list (most EU/UK/AU are on both), choose based on itinerary. 30-day is best for direct trips; 240h is best for stopovers.
Sample 10-day itineraries that qualify
🇺🇸 USA → Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai → 🇯🇵 Japan
Valid (4 cities across 3 provinces, third country = Japan). Day 1-4 Beijing (PEK in, Forbidden City, Great Wall, HSR to Xi'an), Day 5-6 Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors), Day 7-8 HSR Xi'an→Shanghai, Day 9 Shanghai (PVG out, fly to Tokyo).
🇬🇧 UK → Beijing → Hong Kong
Valid (Hong Kong counts as third country). Day 1-6 Beijing, Day 7-10 HSR/fly to Hong Kong, exit from West Kowloon Station (counts as 240h exit port).
🇨🇦 Canada → Shanghai → Chengdu → Bangkok
Valid (Bangkok = third country). Day 1-4 Shanghai (PVG in), Day 5 HSR to Hangzhou, Day 6 HSR back to Shanghai, Day 7 fly to Chengdu, Day 8 pandas, Day 9-10 fly to Bangkok (CTU out).
🇦🇺 Australia → Kunming → Lijiang → Mohan → 🇱🇦 Laos
Valid (Laos = third country, exit at Mohan Railway Port). Day 1-3 Kunming (KMG in), Day 4-6 HSR to Lijiang, Day 7-8 Lijiang, Day 9-10 Mohan Railway → Laos.
Plan the rest of your trip
FAQ
-
Am I eligible for 240-hour visa-free transit?
You qualify if all three conditions are met: (1) passport from one of 55 eligible countries (US, UK, Canada, EU, AU, NZ, JP, KR, BR, AR, etc. — see full list above), (2) passport valid for at least 3 months beyond arrival date, (3) confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region that is different from your country of origin. Departing back to your home country disqualifies — this is a "transit" policy, not a tourist-visa policy. -
How are the 240 hours actually counted?
Counting starts at 00:00 (midnight) of the day AFTER you arrive, not from your actual arrival time. Example: if you land in Beijing at 14:00 on January 1, your visa-free window starts at 00:00 on January 2 and you must exit by 23:59 on January 11 (240 hours = 10 calendar days minus a few hours). Always budget a buffer day for unexpected delays. -
Can I visit multiple cities and provinces?
Yes — since November 2024 the policy allows cross-province travel within the 24 allowed provinces. You can fly into Shanghai, take HSR to Hangzhou, fly to Xi'an, and exit from Beijing — all on the same 240h window. Just make sure every city you visit is in the allowed list; 7 western provinces (Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia) are excluded. -
Do I need to apply for the 240h transit in advance?
No pre-application needed. At check-in, tell airline staff you are traveling under "Transit Without Visa" (TWOV) — using the word "visa" can confuse airline staff into looking for a physical visa in your passport and denying boarding. On arrival, fill out the Arrival Card (or apply online at s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC), and the immigration officer will stamp a temporary entry permit. Total time at immigration: 5-15 minutes. -
What if my plans change and I need to stay longer than 240 hours?
You must apply for a stay extension at the local Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau (county level or above) BEFORE your 240 hours expire, and only for force majeure or urgent reasonable causes (illness, document loss, etc.). Simply wanting more time is not a valid reason. If you overstay without approval, you will be penalized for illegal residence, and future China visa applications may be denied for up to 5 years.