240-hour visa-free transit
If you are passing through China on your way to a third country, you may be able to stay for up to 10 days without a visa — and you can use that time for meetings and factory visits.
This is a genuine transit policy. China must be an intermediate stop between two different countries or regions. Frankfurt → Shanghai → Frankfurt does not qualify. Frankfurt → Shanghai → Tokyo does. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as separate regions for this purpose, so New York → Shanghai → Hong Kong can qualify.
Who is eligible
Nationals of 57 countries (the list has grown steadily — Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added with effect from 20 August 2026). The roster covers most of Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Qatar, the UAE, Russia, Ukraine and others.
What you must have
- A valid international travel document with at least three months of validity remaining
- A confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, with a fixed date and seat, departing within 240 hours
- Entry through one of the 65 authorised ports across 24 provincial-level regions
- Any entry documents required by your next destination (visa included)
- Completed temporary entry formalities with the border inspection authority on arrival
There is no "240-hour transit visa" to apply for beforehand. If you meet the conditions, entry is granted at the border.
How the 240 hours are counted
The clock starts at 00:00 on the day after entry. If you land on the afternoon of 1 September, your permitted period starts at midnight into 2 September. In practice this gives you slightly more than ten full 24-hour days on the ground — but always work to the departure date and time the officer gives you.
Where you can go, and what you can do
You must remain within the covered geographic areas (24 provincial-level regions). Within those areas you may conduct business, tourism, visits and family visits. This is a genuinely usable option for a short sourcing or meeting trip if your itinerary happens to be a transit routing.
Transit vs. the 30-day visa-free entry
| 240-hour transit | 30-day visa-free entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Routing | Must continue to a third country/region | No onward requirement |
| Maximum stay | 10 days | 30 days |
| Eligible countries | 57 | ~50 (different roster) |
| Best for | A short stop squeezed into a wider Asia trip | A dedicated China trip |
Rule of thumb: if China is the destination, use the 30-day visa-free entry. If China is a stop on the way somewhere else, the transit policy may save you a visa application — but book your onward leg before you apply for anything.
Before you rely on it
- Print the onward ticket. Officers ask for it, and a booking on a phone with no data connection is a bad start to a trip.
- Check your arrival airport is on the authorised port list — major hubs are, smaller ones may not be.
- Final eligibility is always decided by the border inspection authority on arrival, regardless of what any website (including this one) says.
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