China 240-hour visa-free transit eligibility
A route-first explainer for travelers trying to confirm whether their layover, passport, and next stop qualify.
You may qualify if you hold a passport from one of the 55 eligible countries, have at least three months of passport validity, enter through an eligible port, hold confirmed onward travel within 240 hours to a third country or region, and stay inside the route's permitted area.
Check the route before the passport list
The core test is A → mainland China → B, where B is a different country or region from A. A simple return trip such as London → Beijing → London is not transit to a third destination, while London → Beijing → Hong Kong can fit the route pattern if every other condition is met.
- Use the last place you depart before mainland China as A, including a connecting airport where you clear the relevant departure leg.
- Use the first country or region after mainland China as B; later flights do not repair an ineligible immediate onward route.
- Have a confirmed seat and departure date within the allowed window, not only a flexible plan or waitlisted booking.
Confirm all four eligibility checks
A valid third-destination route is necessary but not sufficient. The National Immigration Administration also requires an eligible nationality, a qualifying travel document, an eligible entry port, and compliance with the permitted stay area.
- Your passport country must appear on the current 55-country list.
- Your international travel document must generally have at least three months of remaining validity and meet the onward destination's entry rules.
- You must apply at one of the 65 eligible ports and cooperate with the temporary-entry inspection.
- You may move only within the permitted areas tied to the policy, even though some routes allow travel across multiple covered provinces.
Understand how the 240 hours are counted
Under the current official conditions, the visa-free stay period starts at 00:00 on the day after entry. Your confirmed departure still needs to fit the policy, and airline check-in staff and immigration officers will review the actual itinerary and documents.
- Keep printed or offline copies of every flight, rail, or ferry segment and the booking reference.
- Carry accommodation details and a simple route summary for the arrival inspection.
- Do not assume that '10 days' overrides the exact departure deadline shown by immigration authorities.
Avoid the most common route mistakes
Most planning errors come from treating the policy like ordinary visa-free entry. It is a transit permission tied to a specific onward journey, eligible ports, and geographic limits.
- Do not book a mainland round trip with the same origin and immediate next destination.
- Do not add a domestic stop that leaves the permitted transit area for your itinerary.
- Do not rely on separate-ticket or self-transfer assumptions without confirming that you can show a firm onward booking and meet every carrier's document checks.
- Work, study, and journalism still require the appropriate visa even when the transit route itself qualifies.
Apps for this step
Install only what this guide actually uses
Railway 12306
Official train search, booking, changes, and refunds
Rail planning and disruption checks
Umetrip / 航旅纵横
China flight status, disruption visibility, airport and itinerary checks
Flight-day monitoring
Trip.com
Flights, hotels, trains, cars, attractions, bookings, and customer support records
Traveler-facing booking backupBefore you rely on this answer
China travel rules and app behavior can change by city, route, account, passport, airline, and local inspection practice. Treat this page as a traveler-friendly starting point, then verify official or provider details before booking or packing anything important.
Sources checked
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Frequently asked questions
Does Hong Kong count as a third region for transit?
Hong Kong is treated as a separate region for the third-destination test, so a route such as London → Beijing → Hong Kong can fit that part of the policy. The passport, port, ticket, timing, and permitted-area checks still apply.
Is the 240-hour policy the same in every Chinese city?
No. Entry ports, permitted movement areas, and processing details can differ by city or region.
Does the 240-hour clock start when my flight lands?
The current National Immigration Administration conditions say the stay period is calculated from 00:00 on the day after entry. Follow the deadline issued during your own immigration inspection.