China 240-hour visa-free transit: what travellers should know
~6 min read
By HappyChinaTrip · Last updated 15 May 2026
Quick answer
If you hold an eligible passport and have an onward ticket to a different country than where you arrived from, you can enter China visa-free for up to 240 hours through 60+ ports across 24 provinces. You can move freely between the open regions during that stay.
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Best for: Travellers from a 54-country list transiting through China between two other countries.
The real problem
The policy is genuinely generous, but airline desks and border officers sometimes get the rules wrong. Travellers also confuse it with the older 72/144-hour rules.
What you should do
- 1
Confirm your passport is eligible
Most US, UK, EU, Schengen, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Australia, NZ and Canadian passports qualify. Check the official list for your country.
- 2
Plan a true A → China → C route
You can't fly London → Shanghai → London. It must be London → Shanghai → Tokyo (or similar). C must be a different country from A.
- 3
Book the onward ticket before arrival
Border officers will ask. A confirmed PNR is required.
- 4
Print the policy if your airline is unfamiliar
Show the China National Immigration Administration page at check-in.
Quick wins before you go
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Visa-Free Route Pack
Short China routes designed around the 240-hour visa-free transit window.
Plan the route before you risk a transit mistake.
Common mistakes
- ✕Trying to use the policy on a round-trip from one country — it's a transit policy, not a tourist policy.
- ✕Assuming the 240 hours start at midnight. They start at 00:00 of the day AFTER you arrive — so you actually get a bit more than 10 calendar days in practice.
Recommended next step
Build a visa-free China routeFAQ
Can I leave the city I land in?+
Yes — under the 240-hour rule, you can travel between the 24 open provinces freely.
What if my passport already qualifies for full visa-free entry?+
Use that instead — it's simpler and has no onward-ticket requirement.
Is this the same as the 144-hour rule?+
No — it replaced the 72/144-hour rules in December 2024. The new 240-hour version is the current one.
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