240-hour visa-free transit now covers 57 countries
Checked Changed
What changed, who it affects, what to do
What changed: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on 20 August 2026, taking the 240-hour transit list to 57 countries.
Who it affects: Citizens of the 57 listed countries flying through China to a third country or region.
What to do: Check your nationality on the list, then make sure your onward ticket goes to a different country or region from the one you flew in from.
| Rule | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible countries | 55 | 57 |
| Ports of entry | 65 | 65 |
What we know
- Stay is up to 240 hours in the permitted areas of 24 provincial-level regions.
- No end date has been published for the 240-hour policy.
What we don't know yet
- Whether an onward trip to Hong Kong or Macao counts as a third region: widely reported as yes, but we have not confirmed it on an official page yet.
Update log
Posted. Older official pages (July 2026) still say 55; the Beijing government page of 20 August 2026 says 57.
Pages updated by this change
- China 240-hour visa-free transit: who can use it and how
- China visa-free entry: who qualifies and for how long
Sources
- China Adds Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam to 240-hour Visa-free Transit Program, Beijing Government (English), retrieved
- 240-hour visa-free transit policy, Shanghai Government (English), retrieved