Entry documents
- Check passport validity (6+ months)
- Confirm visa-free eligibility and purpose of visit
- Save return ticket or onward ticket offline
- Save hotel booking confirmation offline
Category view — same items, grouped by topic
Internet
- Buy a China-compatible eSIM before departure
- Save QR code and setup instructions offline
- Install and test a VPN before you leave if needed
- Verify access to WhatsApp, Gmail, and map apps
Payments
- Install Alipay and link a foreign card
- Set up WeChat Pay as a backup
- Carry some RMB cash for emergencies
- Unblock international payments on your card
Getting around
- Install Baidu Maps or Amap
- Check Didi or Alipay taxi feature
- Prepare train bookings via 12306 or Trip.com
- Save your hotel address in Chinese
Sources & verification
- 240小时过境免签 — stay period calculation start time— Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada (content sourced from the National Immigration Administration)· Reviewed 2026-07-10
- China expands 240-hour visa-free transit policy— The State Council of the People's Republic of China· Reviewed 2026-05-18
- Visa-free entry to China — eligible nationalities (latest update)— Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China· Reviewed 2026-05-18
- Frequently Asked Questions on Visa-free Entry into China (Updated February, 2026)— Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America· Reviewed 2026-06-06
Last verified: · How we verify our information