240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Explore China in 10 Days

What is the 240-hour visa-free transit?

In November 2025, China expanded its transit visa-free policy from 144 hours to 240 hours — giving eligible travelers up to 10 days in China without a visa. This is one of the most significant opening measures for international tourism in years, and it turns a brief stopover into a genuinely meaningful visit.

The policy applies to citizens of 55 countries transiting through China to a third country or region. You enter through one of 65 designated ports across 24 provincial-level regions, stay up to 240 hours (10 days), and depart for your onward destination. No prior visa application, no embassy visit, no processing fee.

The key difference from the old 144-hour policy: 10 days is enough for a real trip. You can see Beijing and Shanghai. You can do Shanghai plus a day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou. You can even cross provinces within the permitted areas. The old 6-day limit felt rushed — 10 days feels like a vacation.

• •Up to 10 days (240 hours) visa-free in China
• •55 eligible nationalities including US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada
• •Enter through 65 ports across 24 provincial regions
• •No prior application — stamp at the transit counter on arrival

Who qualifies: eligible countries

The policy covers 55 countries across Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Asia. If you hold a passport from any of these nations and are transiting to a third country (not your country of origin), you qualify.

Europe (40 countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, and Norway.

Americas (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile. Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand. Asia (7): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, Qatar, Indonesia.

Always confirm the current list with your airline or the National Immigration Administration before travel — China periodically adds countries.

• •55 eligible countries — most of Europe, North America, Oceania and major Asian nations
• •You must transit to a THIRD country (not return to your origin country)
• •Confirm current eligibility with your airline before departure

How to use it: step by step

The process is remarkably simple — no application forms, no embassy visits, no fees. Here is exactly what happens:

Before you fly: book a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region (not your country of departure). For example, if flying London → Shanghai → Tokyo, you qualify. If flying London → Shanghai → London, you do not — that is a round trip, not a transit. Book hotel accommodations for your stay. Print both confirmations.

At the airport (China arrival): look for the '240-Hour Transit' counter at immigration. Present your passport, onward ticket, and hotel booking. The officer stamps your passport with the transit allowance and notes your 240-hour window. That is it — you are in China.

Within 24 hours of arrival: register your address. If staying at a hotel, the hotel handles this automatically. If staying privately, go to the local police station with your passport and host's ID.

Departure: leave China within 240 hours through any of the 65 designated ports. Your onward flight must depart for the third country — not back to your origin.

• •Book onward ticket to a third country + hotel before departure
• •At airport: go to 240-hour transit counter with passport + tickets
• •Register address within 24 hours (hotels do this automatically)
• •Depart within 10 days to your third-country destination

Where you can go: 24 provinces and 65 ports

The 240-hour policy allows travel across 24 provincial-level regions — far more than the old 144-hour policy, which was limited to individual cities. You can enter through Shanghai PVG, explore Suzhou and Hangzhou, then fly out from Beijing — all within the 10-day window.

Key entry ports: Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA), Beijing Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX), Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), Chengdu Tianfu (TFU), Xi'an Xianyang (XIY), Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH), and 57 others. The newly added ports in 2025 include Guangzhou, Zhuhai Hengqin, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

Permitted regions include: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu (Suzhou, Nanjing), Zhejiang (Hangzhou), Guangdong (Guangzhou, Shenzhen), Sichuan (Chengdu), Shaanxi (Xi'an), and 17 others. Cross-province travel within permitted areas is allowed — check the National Immigration Administration for the exact boundary of each region.

• •65 entry ports across 24 provinces — enter in Shanghai, exit from Beijing
• •Cross-province travel allowed within permitted areas
• •New ports added in 2025: Guangzhou, Zhuhai Hengqin, HK-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge

The perfect 10-day itinerary

With 10 days, you can do a genuinely satisfying China loop. Here is the most popular route for first-time visitors using Shanghai as the entry point:

Days 1-3: Shanghai. Day 1 — the Bund, Yu Garden, Shanghai Museum, get oriented. Day 2 — French Concession, Tianzifang, Jing'an Temple. Day 3 — day trip to Suzhou or Hangzhou by high-speed rail (30 minutes).

Days 4-6: Beijing. Fly Shanghai → Beijing (2 hours) or take high-speed rail (4.5 hours). Visit the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, hutong neighborhoods. Beijing deserves 3 full days minimum.

Days 7-8: Xi'an. Fly Beijing → Xi'an (2 hours). See the Terracotta Warriors, walk the Ming-era city wall, explore the Muslim Quarter. Xi'an is compact — 2 days is perfect.

Days 9-10: Return to Shanghai or continue to your onward destination. Use the last day for shopping, a final meal, and a smooth departure.

This itinerary fits comfortably within 240 hours and covers China's three most iconic cities. If you prefer depth over breadth, spend all 10 days in the Shanghai region — Shanghai (4 days) + Suzhou (2 days) + Hangzhou (2 days) + a water town like Zhujiajiao (1 day) + departure buffer (1 day).

• •Shanghai (3 days) → Beijing (3 days) → Xi'an (2 days) → departure (2 days)
• •Or go deep: Shanghai + Suzhou + Hangzhou + water towns in 10 days
• •High-speed rail connects all major cities — flying is faster but less scenic

Common mistakes to avoid

The onward ticket rule is strict: your next destination must be a different country from where you came. London → Shanghai → Tokyo works. London → Shanghai → London does not. Many travelers book a cheap flight to Hong Kong or Seoul as their 'onward ticket' — this is perfectly legal and common.

Do not overstay. The 240-hour clock starts from your entry stamp, not your flight arrival time. Overstaying means fines, detention, and future visa denial. Set a phone reminder for your departure date.

Stay within permitted regions. The 24 provinces have defined boundaries — you cannot travel outside them on the transit policy. If you want to visit Tibet, Xinjiang, or other restricted areas, you need a full visa. Check the boundary maps before booking intercity transport.

Do not forget address registration. Hotels handle this automatically, but if you stay with friends or in a short-term rental, you must register at the local police station within 24 hours. Failure to register can cause problems at departure.

• •Onward ticket must be to a third country — not back to origin
• •240-hour clock starts from entry stamp, not flight arrival
• •Stay within the 24 permitted provincial regions
• •Register your address within 24 hours (hotels do this automatically)

240-hour transit vs. visa-free entry: which is better?

China now offers two separate visa-free pathways, and travelers often confuse them. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right one.

Visa-free entry (unilateral exemption): citizens of 50+ countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, or family visits. No onward ticket required. You can go anywhere in China. This is the simpler option if your country is on the list.

240-hour transit: citizens of 55 countries can stay up to 10 days without a visa, but must have an onward ticket to a third country and stay within the 24 permitted regions. This is useful if your country is not on the visa-free list but is on the transit list, or if you are genuinely transiting through China.

If your country qualifies for both (US, UK, most EU, Australia), choose visa-free entry — it gives you 30 days and no onward ticket requirement. Use the 240-hour transit only if your country is not on the visa-free list but is on the transit list. See our China visa-free countries guide for the full eligibility list.

• •Visa-free entry: 30 days, no onward ticket, anywhere in China (50+ countries)
• •240-hour transit: 10 days, onward ticket required, 24 provinces only (55 countries)
• •If your country qualifies for both, choose visa-free entry