01The rule at a glance
Every policy page on this site answers the same 14 questions.
| 1Policy name | 240-hour visa-free transit （240小时过境免签） |
|---|---|
| 2Issued by | National Immigration Administration of China (NIA) |
| 3Official source | NIA announcement, Dec 2024, and later updates. (Link to be added after checking.) |
| 4Who it applies to | Passport holders of 57 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe. Full list |
| 5Conditions | You arrive from one country or region and leave for a different one within 240 hours. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as separate regions. You stay inside the permitted provinces. |
| 6Documents | Valid passport; a confirmed onward ticket (date and seat) leaving within 240 hours; arrival card. |
| 7Process | Tell your airline at check-in, then ask for 240-hour transit at the immigration counter on arrival. No advance application. |
| 8Where | 65 designated airports, seaports, rail and land crossings in 24 provincial-level regions. |
| 9Cost | Free |
| 10Processing time | Decided at the counter on arrival, usually within minutes. |
| 11In effect since | Dec 17, 2024 (replaced the earlier 72- and 144-hour rules) |
| 12Last checked | Not yet verified (draft, Nov 15, 2026) |
| 13Still in effect? | Yes — no end date announced. |
| 14Limits & exceptions | The 240 hours start at 00:00 the day after you arrive. No work, study or news reporting. Officers can refuse entry. Some ports apply local rules. |
02Does my route qualify?
The key rule: the place you fly to next must be different from the place you came from.
✓ Qualifies
Los Angeles → Shanghai → Tokyo
Arriving from the US, leaving for Japan.
✓ Qualifies
London → Beijing → Hong Kong
Hong Kong counts as a separate region.
✕ Doesn't qualify
New York → Beijing → New York
Same country in and out — this is a round trip.
✕ Doesn't qualify
Sydney → Chengdu → Sydney
Same country in and out. Use 30-day visa-free entry instead (Australia is on that list).
03What you can't do
No work, study or reporting.Transit visa-free entry is for tourism, business meetings, family visits and transit only. A job (paid or unpaid), a degree program or journalism needs the matching visa and permit.
- Leave the permitted provinces. Traveling between them is allowed.
- Extend your stay past 240 hours under this rule.
- Change your onward ticket to a flight back to the country you came from.
04Eligible countries (57)
Sample list showing our target markets only. The live page lists all 57 with the date each was added.
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Netherlands
- …and 47 more
05At the border
- At check-in, tell the airline you're using 240-hour visa-free transit and show your onward ticket.
- On arrival, go to the counter marked for visa-free transit (or ask staff).
- Show your passport, onward ticket and arrival card. You'll get a temporary entry stamp.
- Register at your hotel as usual — the hotel handles it.
General information only, not legal or immigration advice. The border authorities make the final decision.
06Change log
- Draft published. Facts below still need checking against NIA announcements.
- Two countries added; now 57 (to be confirmed).
- Five ports added; now 65 (to be confirmed).
- Rule extended from 144 to 240 hours; more ports and provinces (to be confirmed).
Sources
- National Immigration Administration — announcements on visa-free transit. (Link to be added after checking.)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — 240-hour visa-free transit page. (Link to be added after checking.)