China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: The Complete Rules (2026)

The Two Policies People Confuse (Read This First)

If you hold a UK, Canadian, Australian, or EU passport, you probably want the 30-day visa-free policy — simpler, longer, no third-country ticket needed. The 240-hour transit is mainly relevant for US citizens (the US is not on the 30-day list) and for travelers combining China with neighboring countries.

The Transit Rule, Explained (A → China → C)

To use 240-hour transit you must:

1. Hold a passport from an eligible country;
2. Enter China from country/region A;
3. Leave China to a third country/region C within 240 hours (Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as third regions);
4. Enter and exit via eligible ports (65 across 24 provinces — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, and most major gateways).

Common trap: a round trip USA → Beijing → USA does *not* qualify (A and C must differ). USA → Beijing → Tokyo does.

At the Border: Documents to Show

1. Passport (valid 6+ months);
2. Onward ticket to country C with confirmed date;
3. Hotel bookings or an itinerary (ask for it — have something printable);
4. No visa application in advance is required for the transit itself.

Tell the officer you are using visa-free transit; they'll stamp you in with the permitted stay.

Frequent Mistakes That Get People Refused

• Round-trip ticket to the same country (A = C) — the most common refusal;
• Wrong port: entering or exiting through a port not on the eligible list;
• Overstaying even by hours — overstay penalties are serious and can include fines, detention, and a ban;
• Confusing the two policies: planning 14 days on a transit permit;
• No proof of onward travel — have the ticket saved offline.

Which Countries Qualify? (55 nationalities)

Source: National Immigration Administration transit notice (updated 27 June 2025; Indonesia included). Confirm at nia.gov.cn before you fly. This list is not the same as the 30-day visa-free 50.

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 (7)

Brunei · Indonesia · Japan · Qatar · Singapore · South Korea · United Arab Emirates

Malaysia and Thailand are not on the 240-hour nationality list; they usually enter on mutual visa-free instead.

FAQ