China 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit 2024
From December 1, 2023, until November 30, 2024, ordinary passport holders of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia can benefit from a 15-day visa-free entry to China Mainland.
From March 14, 2024, until November 30, 2024, ordinary passport holders of Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg can benefit from a 15-day visa-free entry to China Mainland.
This applies to purposes such as tourism, business, transit, and visiting friends and relatives in China.
Travelers from 54 countries can stay in certain regions of China for up to 144 hours (6 days) without a visa.
The permitted regions for the 144 hours visa-free include Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xian, Guangzhou, etc.
Who Can Enjoy the 144-hour Visa-free Transit in China?
Now, citizens from these 54 countries can apply for 144-hour visa-free transit in China.
- Americas (6 countries): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile
- Asia (6 countries): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar
- Europe (40 countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, Belarus, Norway
- Oceania (2 countries): Australia and New Zealand
Which Regions, Cities, and Ports in China Are Visa-free?
Now, there are 20 cities in China implementing the 144-hour visa-free policy, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xian...
Region 1. Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province
Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
- Beijing: Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station
- Tianjin: Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port
- Hebei: Shijiazhuang International Airport, Qinhuangdao Seaport
Read the visa-free transit policy in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei for more details.
Region 2. Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces
Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
Shanghai:
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport
- Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
- Shanghai Railway Station
- Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal
- Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal
- Nanjing Lukou International Airport
- Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
- Ningbo Lishe International Airport
Read the visa-free transit policy in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang for more details.
Region 3. Guangdong Province
Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
- Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
- Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
Region 4. Liaoning Province
Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
- Shenyang Taoxian International Airport
- Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
Region 5. Shandong Province
Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
- Qingdao Liuting International Airport
- Qingdao International Cruise Home Port
Region 6. Sichuan Province (only certain areas allow visa-free stays)
Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Permitted Visa-free Stay Areas: Chengdu, Leshan, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya'an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou, Yibin
Other Regions: Chongqing, Xian/Xianyang, Wuhan, Kunming, and Xiamen
Visa-free Permitted Ports of Entry/Exit:
- Chongqing: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
- Xi'an: Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
- Wuhan: Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
- Kunming: Kunming Changshui International Airport
- Xiamen: Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen Wutong Port, Xiamen International Cruise Terminal
Permitted Visa-free Stay Areas: The 144-hour visa-free transit in the cities of Chongqing, Xian/Xianyang, Wuhan, Kunming, and Xiamen is limited to the specific port cities where visa-free entry is permitted. Travelers are not allowed to visit other locations within the province or out of the province.
Requirements for 144-Hour Transit Visa in China
1. You hold a valid passport from one of the 54 eligible countries.
2. You must be in transit to a third country or region (not the same country you arrived from). Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan belong to the third region.
For example, the USA to Shanghai to Hong Kong is acceptable for a 144-hour transit visa in Shanghai. But the USA to Shanghai to the USA, or the USA to Hong Kong to Shanghai is not qualified.
3. Your transit time is no more than 144 hours (from the first 00:00 hours after you enter).
4. You enter and leave from one of the eligible ports of entry.
5. You can travel only around the eligible areas or cities within 144 hours. But you cannot go to other cities or areas in China.
For example, if you get to Shanghai, you can only travel around Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang areas. If you arrive in Beijing, you can only travel around Beijing, Tianjin, and the Hebei area.
6. You will not have any stopovers.
Feel free to tell us your queries if you need any tour help.
How to Calculate the 144 Hours?
On arrival at one of the entry points, eligible foreign passengers will be issued a temporary entry permit by immigration officials. You can stay in a certain region without a China visa for up to 144 hours.
The 144 hours start from 00:00 hrs immediately following the time of entry.
For example, if you enter Chengdu at 6:00 am on May 1, 2024, your stay period starts counting down from 00:00 on May 2. So you can stay until 23:59 on May 7.
So you may stay longer than 144 (but less than 168) hours, depending on arrival and departure times.
If you want, we can help you to create a 144-hour visa-free tour to make the best of your time and meet your interests.
What Documents Necessary for 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit?
- Valid international travel documents (including passport).
- Onward air/boat/train tickets to a third country (region). It must have confirmed the date and seat within 144 hours of the first 00:00 hours after arrival.
- Visa for a third country/region (if needed)
- Arrival and departure cards (filled in)
How to Apply for 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit? - Just 6 Easy Steps
1. Inform your carrier agent that you wish to use a 144-hour visa-free transit at check-in.
2. Complete and submit the Arrival/Departure Card when you arrive at the China border.
3. Pass through the 144-hour visa-exemption transit inspection channel.
4. Present your tickets, passport, and arrival card to the immigration officer, stating your intention for visa-free transit.
5. Claim luggage and go through customs as normal.
6. Depart from the designated port before midnight on the sixth day, and submit the departure card at security inspection.
Plan a Visa-free Transit tour to China
We are here to help you plan your visa-free transit tour to China. We can customize a tour for you to make the most of your 144 hours in China. Just tell us your plan and we will do everything for you.