240-Hour Visa-Free in China: 10-Day  Visa-Free Transit 2025

Tourists from 54 countries can stay in China for 240 hours (10 days). You don't have to leave from the same open port you entered; you can also travel between different provinces within the 24 allowed provinces.

Updates to the Visa-Free Transit Policy in China

• The duration has been extended from 140 hours to 240 hours.
• The number of entry and exit ports has increased from 39 to 60.
• The permitted stay areas have been expanded to 24 provinces.

Requirements for 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

1. You must be a citizen of one of the 54 countries. For example, if you are a US citizen currently living in Madagascar, you can still qualify as long as your US passport is valid for more than three months.

2. Your final destination must be a third country or region, and you must depart China within 240 hours (10 days) after your arrival.

3. You must hold an onward ticket with a confirmed departure time and seat to a third country or region.

4. You must enter China through one of the 60 eligible ports. The exit port can be different from the entry port. For example, you can enter in Beijing and exit in Shanghai.

5. You can only travel between provinces within the allowed 24 provinces. This policy does not cover autonomous regions and provinces such as Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Gansu, and Jilin.

Countries Qualified for the 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

Citizens from 54 countries are eligible for a 240-hour (10 days) visa-free transit policy in China. However, if you have a record of violating Chinese laws, you may not be permitted to enter China for any purpose even if you are from one of these countries.

• Americas (6 countries): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
• 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, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway
• Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand
• Asia (6 countries): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar

Entry & Exit Ports for 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

There are 60 eligible ports for the 240-hour visa-free policy, and your entry port and exit port can be different. You can travel across provinces within the permissible stay areas.

For instance, if you enter China from Beijing, you can travel to Shanghai, Guangdong, or any other allowed stay areas. 

Eligible Transit Routes for 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

The 240-hour (10 days) visa-free transit policy stipulates that your itinerary must include a third country or region as your destination, which means that the departure country and the final destination cannot be the same, nor can they be two different cities within the same country. Hongkong and Macao are considered the third region.

For example, your tour route can be:

√ US - Beijing - Hongkong

√ US - Beijing - Xi'an - Shanghai - Japan

√ Germany - Shanghai - Beijing - Guilin - Hong Kong

√ UK - Xi'an - Zhangjiajie - Guilin - Shanghai - South Korea

The most recommended route to fully utilize the 240-hour visa-free transit:

• 10-Day Cultural and Natural Wonders of China: Beijing-Xi’an-Zhangjiajie-Shanghai
• 11-Day Glories of China tour: Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Yangshuo - Shanghai

But your itinerary cannot be:

× Japan - Guangzhou - Shanghai - Japan

× New York - Beijing - Shanghai - San Francisco

× UK - Hong Kong - Beijing - Shanghai - Hong Kong - UK

Required Documents for 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

• A passport that is valid for more than 3 months from the date of your arrival.
• A confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, such as an airplane ticket, train ticket, or ship ticket, with a seat and departure date already set.
• Arrival card and departure card.

How to Calculate 240 Hours

Your maximum stay is limited to 240 hours (10 days), starting from midnight the day after you arrive in China. In fact, including the day you arrive, you can stay for a total of 11 days.

For instance, if you arrive in Beijing at 4:00 PM on June 1, then your 240-hour (10-day) stay will begin counting from 0: 00 on June 2. You just need to leave before midnight on June 11.

Apply for 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy in 7 Steps

1. Choose one of the eligible open ports.

2. Inform your carrier agent that you wish to use a 240-hour visa-free transit at check-in.

3. After landing, follow the signs to find the border inspection area.

4. Fill in and submit the Arrival Card.

5. Pass through the 240-hour visa-free transit inspection channel.

6. Present your passport, ticket, and arrival card to the staff, and answer their questions truthfully.

7. Claim luggage and go through customs.

Visa-Free Transit Policy in China

If you plan to extend your stay in China, you can look into the 30-day visa-free policy for citizens from 38 countries, including France, Germany, Malaysia, and Australia. Although this policy doesn't cover as many countries as the 240-hour transit visa-free policy, it offers quite a sufficient stay duration.

There's also a 15-day cruise visa-free policy that doesn't restrict nationalities, but you must enter through Shanghai International Cruise Terminal or Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal when arriving.

If you do not meet the requirements for any of these visa-free policies, you can apply for a port visa (also known as a landing visa), which will allow you to stay in China for 30 days upon issuance.

Plan a 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Tour

China Travel is a professional travel agency dedicated to crafting a memorable 240-hour journey in China. Upon your arrival, our enthusiastic tour guide will be waiting outside the airport with a pick-up sign bearing your name and will assist you in completing the hotel check-in procedures smoothly.

Throughout the trip, whenever you encounter any problems or needs, you can tell your tour guide anytime. Our travel advisors will actively assist and try their best to meet your requirements within their capabilities.

• 8-Day Classic China Tour: explore Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai with us
• 9-Day Water Town and Yellow Mountains Tour: experience Shanghai, Suzhou, Huangshan, and Hangzhou with us
• 11-Day Glories of China tour: travel Beijing, Xi'an, Chongqing, Yangtze, Yichang and Shanghai with us
• You can learn more about China tourist routes in the Top 10 China Tours or share your ideas.

Are you worried about not being able to buy tickets to the Forbidden City? Are you concerned about the long journey to the Great Wall? Are you anxious about the language barrier? If this is your first time in China and you're unsure where to go, choosing us will solve all these problems effortlessly.

Our tour guides and travel advisors are proficient in English and can also arrange transportation to the Great Wall. As the imperial capital of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Beijing is undoubtedly a must-visit destination for your first trip to China. Many US Presidents, such as Nixon, Clinton, and George W. Bush, have visited here.

Another city you shouldn't miss is Guilin, which boasts stunning karst landscapes. You can learn Tai Chi in Yangshuo and enjoy riding a raft on the Yulong River. It's worth mentioning that President Nixon also toured Guilin with us.

FAQs About the 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

1. How long should the interval be between two uses of the 240-hour visa-free policy?

There's no specific time limit between two uses of the 240-hour visa-free policy as long as you meet the relevant requirements of the policy.

2. Does the visa-free policy allow you to work in China for a while?

During your stay, you can only engage in activities like tourism, business visits, and family visits. If you plan to work or study in China, you need to apply for a corresponding visa separately.

3. Will the 240-hour visa-free policy conflict with the mutual and unilateral visa-free policy?

Among the 54 countries that can enjoy the 240-hour visa-free policy, China has implemented a mutual visa-free policy or unilateral visa-free policy with some of them. For example, China and the UAE have a mutual visa-free policy, and China offers a unilateral visa-free policy to countries like France, Germany, and Italy.

So, if you are from these countries, you can flexibly choose the transit policy that suits you based on your actual stay duration and whether you need to go to a third country or region.

4. Under the policy, Can I enter the Chinese mainland by train from Hong Kong?

No, you can't. Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station can only serve as your exit port. You can take the train from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong. On the contrary, taking the train from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland is prohibited.

5. Can I travel across provinces with the policy?

Yes, that's correct. The 240-hour visa-free policy allows you to travel across most provinces in China.

You May Like to Read

• How to Apply for a China Visa
• Latest FAQs About China Visa
• Do You Need a Visa to Come to China