China 240-hour visa-free transit: who can use it and how

Who qualifies for 240-hour transit?

You qualify if your passport is from one of the 57 countries, you hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, and you enter at a designated port. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added on 20 August 2026; older pages still say 55.

What counts as a valid route?

The country you fly in from and the one you fly on to must be different. These examples follow that rule:

• London → Shanghai (5 days) → Beijing (4 days) → Tokyo. Valid: UK in, Japan out, both cities inside the permitted areas.
• Seoul → Beijing → Seoul. Not valid: same country in and out. Use the 30-day policy if your passport qualifies.
• Sydney → Shanghai → Hong Kong. Hong Kong onward is widely reported to count as a third region, but we have not confirmed it on an official page yet.

Which ports can I use in Shanghai and Beijing?

Shanghai: PVG, SHA, Shanghai passenger seaport. Beijing: PEK, PKX. Both come from a secondary source; we are checking them against the official port list.

Can I leave from a different city than I arrived in?

You may travel between provinces inside the permitted areas. You may also leave from a different 240-hour port than the one you entered, a rule announced with the 240-hour extension in December 2024 (Yes, from any 240-hour transit port). The clock runs from 00:00 on the day after entry.

How do I apply?

There is no advance application. Tell the airline at check-in and the immigration officer on arrival that you are using 240-hour transit, and show your onward ticket. Fill in the online arrival card before you land if you can.