240 Hour Visa Free China (2026): Who Qualifies
China’s 240-hour visa-free transit lets eligible travelers stay in designated parts of mainland China for up to 10 days while going to a different third country or region. It is a transit policy, not a holiday visa.
As of 20 August 2026, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) applies it to 57 countries, 65 ports and permitted areas in 24 provincial-level regions. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on that date (NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026). Entry is still decided at the border.
Quick answer
You may qualify if you hold an ordinary passport from one of the 57 countries, have a confirmed onward ticket to a different third country or region, enter through a listed port, stay inside the permitted area, and leave within 240 hours. A round trip such as United States → Shanghai → United States does not count.
Need the full port table, arrival-card steps and mistake list? Use the 240-hour visa-free transit guide.
Do you qualify? Five checks
You need all five:
- Passport. Ordinary passport from one of the 57 eligible countries. Residence or a second nationality does not substitute for the passport you present.
- Route. Country or region A → mainland China → a different country or region B. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are treated as separate regions for this routing rule.
- Ticket. A connecting ticket (联程客票) with a confirmed date and itinerary to that third destination, as the NIA wording requires.
- Port. Entry through one of the 65 designated open ports — not every airport or land crossing.
- Area. Stay only in the permitted stay area attached to the policy. That is not automatically the whole country.
Work, study and news reporting still need the proper visa in advance. Tourism, business, visits and family visits are the activities the NIA lists for this policy.
The third-country rule, in one line
| Usually fits | Usually does not |
|---|---|
| US → Shanghai → Japan | US → Shanghai → US |
| UK → Beijing → South Korea | Australia → Guangzhou → Australia |
| Australia → Guangzhou → Hong Kong | Entering at a port that is not on the 65-port list |
If the onward booking is on a separate ticket, officers and the airline still have to see the complete A → China → B story. Carry offline copies.
When the 240 hours start
The visa-free stay is calculated from 00:00 on the day after you enter, not from the minute you land. That can be a little more than ten exact 24-hour blocks. Do not plan to use the last hour. Use the authorized-until time immigration gives you, and leave a buffer for delays.
The 57 countries (NIA list, 20 August 2026)
Europe (40): Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Americas (6): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, United States.
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.
Asia (9): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam.
Ports and where you can go
Sixty-five open ports across 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Major examples include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi’an, Hangzhou and the extra Guangdong ports added in November 2025 (including the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge port and West Kowloon Station).
After entry you may move between cities only if every stop stays inside the permitted area. Check the current NIA “eligible ports and permitted stay areas” table against your actual tickets — the full transit guide walks through that table.
What to take to the airport
- Eligible ordinary passport
- Confirmed onward ticket showing date and itinerary
- First-night hotel or host address in Chinese
- Offline copies of the full A → China → B route
- Official NIA policy page, not a screenshot from a random blog
Tell the airline you are using 240-hour visa-free transit. They may check documents before boarding. The final yes or no still belongs to Chinese immigration.
File the arrival card only through official NIA channels (website, 12367 app or port). The NIA has warned about paid fake sites.
240-hour transit vs other China visa-free schemes
- 240-hour transit: 57 countries, 65 ports, up to 10 days in designated areas, must be going to a third country or region.
- 24-hour transit: broader, but you normally stay in the port area unless immigration grants a temporary entry permit.
- Unilateral visa-free entry and Hainan 30-day visa-free are different policies with different country lists. Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan were also added to Hainan’s 30-day scheme on 20 August 2026 (now 61 countries). Do not mix the three.
Pre-flight checklist
- Your passport nationality is on the 57-country list.
- The itinerary is A → China → B, not A → China → A.
- Entry and exit ports are on the current 65-port list.
- Every city you plan to visit is inside the permitted area.
- Onward ticket and hotel details work offline.
- Recheck the NIA page in the week you fly.
For the rest of a first visit, see the first-trip-to-China checklist, Alipay setup and eSIM options.
FAQ
Is 240 hour visa free the same as 10 days in China without a visa?
For eligible transit passengers, yes: 240 hours is ten days, counted from 00:00 the day after entry, inside designated areas only.
Can I use it for a holiday that starts and ends in the same country?
Not if mainland China is a round-trip stop. You need a different third country or region after China.
Is admission guaranteed?
No. You apply at immigration inspection. Airlines can also refuse boarding if they cannot verify the route.
References
- NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026 (20 August 2026): Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added; 57 countries, 65 ports.
- NIA: visa-free transit policy (updated 20 August 2026).
Reviewed 29 August 2026. Rules change; the border officer’s decision is what counts. Verify the current NIA lists before you book.
