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10 daysCities & sights
240-hour visa-free transit: how to see China without a visa
Since December 2024, travelers from many countries can spend up to 10 days in China without a visa, as long as they arrive from one country and leave for a different one. Here is how the policy works and how to build a trip around it.
What the policy allows
Eligible travelers can stay in China for up to 240 hours, counted from 00:00 on the day after arrival. You do not need to apply in advance. You show your passport and onward ticket at immigration and receive a temporary entry permit.
Who qualifies
Citizens of 55 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries, can use the policy if they meet all of these conditions:
- A passport valid for at least three months beyond your arrival date.
- A confirmed onward ticket, with a fixed date and seat, leaving China within 240 hours.
- Your next stop is a third country or region, not the place you flew in from.
The route rule
The trip must be a genuine transit. Flying Los Angeles → Shanghai → Tokyo qualifies. So does London → Beijing → Hong Kong, because Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan count as separate regions. Flying New York → Beijing → New York does not.
Where you can go
You must enter and leave through one of the designated airports, rail stations, land crossings or seaports, and stay within the permitted provinces. These now cover most first-time routes, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Guilin, Chengdu, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, Hangzhou and Kunming, and you may travel between permitted provinces during your stay.
A 10-day stopover we often plan
| Days | Where | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 3 | Beijing | Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Mutianyu Great Wall |
| 4 – 5 | Xi'an | Terracotta Warriors, cycling the city wall |
| 6 – 7 | Guilin & Yangshuo | Li River bamboo raft, Ten-Mile Gallery |
| 8 – 10 | Shanghai | The Bund, Yu Garden, onward flight to Hong Kong or Tokyo |
Before you fly
- Book your onward flight first and keep the e-ticket on your phone and on paper.
- Tell your airline at check-in that you are using visa-free transit.
- Fill in the arrival card on the plane or at the airport.
- Hotels register your stay with the police automatically when you check in.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card, and arrange an eSIM.
How we help
We plan the whole stopover around the policy: the entry and exit ports, high-speed trains between cities, hotels and private guides, so every day of your 240 hours counts.
