240-Hour Transit Visa-Free Policy

slug: transit-visa-free title: "240-Hour Transit Visa-Free Policy" section: visa summary: "Eligible transit travellers can explore China for up to 10 days without a visa when connecting through designated cities." lastVerified: "2026-06-26" officialSourceUrl: "https://www.nia.gov.cn/n897394/index.html"

China's 240-hour (10-day) transit visa-free policy is designed for international passengers who are connecting through China to a third country or region. It turns what might be a long layover into a genuine opportunity to explore — here's how it works.

How This Policy Differs from the 30-Day Unilateral Policy

The 240-hour transit policy and the 30-day unilateral visa-free policy are separate schemes with different eligibility criteria. The key distinction is that the transit policy requires you to be travelling onward to a third country or region — you cannot use it if you are returning to the country you departed from. If your itinerary goes A → China → A, you need a standard tourist visa, or you can enter under the 30-day unilateral policy if your country qualifies.

Who Can Use This Policy

The transit visa-free policy is available to passport holders from most countries who meet both of these conditions:

1. You are travelling from one country or region to a different third country or region (not back to your point of origin).
2. You hold a confirmed onward ticket departing China within 240 hours.

The eligible nationality list is broad and is maintained separately from the 30-day unilateral visa-free list. Check the NIA website for the current list of eligible nationalities.

Eligible Transit Cities and Regions

The policy applies in the following cities and their associated administrative regions. You must remain within the designated region for the entire duration of your transit stay:

• Beijing (Beijing Municipality)
• Shanghai (Shanghai Municipality)
• Guangzhou (Guangdong Province)
• Chengdu (Sichuan Province)
• Chongqing (Chongqing Municipality)
• Wuhan (Hubei Province)
• Xi'an (Shaanxi Province)
• Tianjin (Tianjin Municipality)
• Shenyang (Liaoning Province)
• Guiyang (Guizhou Province)
• Kunming (Yunnan Province)
• Zhengzhou (Henan Province)
• Qingdao (Shandong Province)
• Changsha (Hunan Province)
• Nanjing (Jiangsu Province)

Additional cities may be added as the policy expands. The CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) maintains the authoritative list of designated transit ports.

Stay Rules

Required Documents

1. 1
   Valid passport with at least 6 months validity

   Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry into China. Passports with less validity will be refused at immigration.

2. 2
   Confirmed ticket to a third country or region

   You must have a printed or digital copy of your onward ticket. The destination must be a different country or region from the one you departed. Return flights to your home country do not qualify — your itinerary must show A → China → B.

3. 3
   Visa for onward destination (if required)

   If your next destination requires a visa from your nationality, you must already hold it. Chinese immigration will check that your journey is completable.

4. 4
   Completed transit declaration form at immigration

   Collect and fill in the transit form at the immigration hall after arrival. Officers will issue your transit permit stamp on the basis of this form and your onward ticket.

How to Apply at the Port

There is no advance application process. On arrival, proceed to the immigration hall and join the foreigners queue. Declare your intention to use the transit visa-free policy to the immigration officer. Present your passport, onward ticket, and destination visa (if applicable). The officer will review your documents and, if everything is in order, stamp your passport with a transit permit showing your permitted stay period.

The entire process typically takes 5–15 minutes beyond the normal immigration queue time.