YouChina
Transit Policy · Updated 2026-08-14

240-Hour Visa-Free Transit

240h is for listed nationalities going A → China → B via designated ports, staying in the permitted area. 24h is a short connection that usually stays in the restricted port area; leaving it needs a temporary-entry application that is not guaranteed. Port officers decide — this page does not.

How it works Need a visa instead?

Not sure? Use the entry path tool →

How 240-hour transit works

1
Confirm eligibility before booking — Transit-free is decided before you buy a ticket. Confirm all conditions on the official source first, because the airline and border will check them. Not every airport allows 240-hour transit.
2
Prepare your documents — Have a valid travel document (at least 3 months validity), confirmed onward arrangements, and your onward ticket ready before you reach the desk. The onward ticket must leave within the allowed window, to a third country or region different from where you came.
3
Airline check-in — Tell the check-in agent you will use the 240-hour visa-free transit. Some desks and systems still call it "144-hour". "144-hour" and "240-hour" may be used interchangeably by staff.
4
On arrival at the border — Use the dedicated counter for visa-free transit and complete temporary entry formalities with port immigration inspection. The 240-hour count starts at 00:00 the day after you enter. Port officers make the final decision.
5
During your stay & exit — Stay inside the allowed area, keep to transit activities, and leave on time from an eligible port. If you need to stay longer or change purpose, you may need a regular visa instead.

Which transit applies to you

✈
Current main policy

240-hour visa-free transit

For eligible nationalities transiting to a third country/region via an eligible port. You may leave the airport and stay within the allowed area for up to 240 hours.

  • Genuine A → China → B transit to a third country or region (A and B differ)
  • Travel document valid at least 3 months; confirmed onward arrangements
  • Entry/exit at one of 65 ports; stay within the permitted area; temporary entry formalities at port immigration inspection — port officers decide

Eligible nationality, ports and stay areas are set by the official source. We do not publish a full port list here — confirm the current list on gov.cn / NIA.

Where 240-hour transit applies

Transit-free is port-restricted — entry must be through a designated port, and the area you may stay in is tied to that port.

65 eligible ports nationwide — verify the current list officially

North China

Beijing · Tianjin · Hebei region

Beijing PEKBeijing Daxing PKXTianjin TSNShijiazhuang SJW

East China

Shanghai · Jiangsu · Zhejiang · Anhui · Shandong

Shanghai PVGHangzhou HGHNanjing NKGQingdao TAOHefei HFE

South China

Guangdong · Fujian · Guangxi

Guangzhou CANShenzhen SZXXiamen XMNGuilin KWL
Show 3 more regions

Southwest

Sichuan · Chongqing · Yunnan

Chengdu CTUChongqing CKGKunming KMG

Central China

Hubei · Hunan · Henan

Wuhan WUHChangsha CSXZhengzhou CGO

Northeast & Northwest

Liaoning · Heilongjiang · Shaanxi

Dalian DLCShenyang SHEHarbin HRBXi'an XIY

Major hubs shown for orientation only. Full port list and stay-area boundaries must be verified on the official NIA / gov.cn source before travel.

Before you rely on transit-free

Transit-free is a privilege, not a right. The border officer makes the final call — verify all conditions on the official source before you book.

What a qualifying route looks like.+
The shape is: depart Country A → arrive China (eligible port) → depart to Country B, where A and B are different countries or regions. You stay within the permitted area and exit within 240 hours. This is the general pattern — confirm your specific ports and nationality against the official NIA source before you book anything.
It must be a genuine transit — not a round trip.+
You must travel A → China → B, where A and B are different countries or regions. Flying in and back out to the same country you came from is not a transit and does not qualify — even if your stay is short.
Nationality, port and stay area must all be met.+
All three conditions apply together: your nationality is on the list, your entry and exit ports are eligible, and you stay within the permitted area. Missing any one means transit-free does not apply.
Hong Kong / Macao / Taiwan routings are easily confused.+
Whether HK, Macao or Taiwan counts as the "third region" depends on the official rules and your exact routing. Do not assume — these cases are the most commonly misjudged. Verify officially for your specific itinerary.
Airlines may still say "144-hour".+
Staff and systems may use the old name. The current official wording is "240-hour visa-free transit". If a desk quotes a different number, ask them to check the current policy.
No work, study, journalism, or overstay.+
Transit-free entry is for transit only. Do not exceed the permitted stay. If your itinerary changes, confirm with the 12367 hotline or port immigration authorities before you rely on transit-free.
Is a "China transit visa" a real visa you apply for?+
No — despite the common search term "China transit visa" or "visa transit China," the 240-hour policy is a visa-free transit exemption, not a visa product you apply for in advance. There is no separate transit-visa application: eligibility, the temporary entry permit and the stay area are all handled at the border on arrival, based on your nationality, port and itinerary. If your trip does not qualify for visa-free transit, you would need a regular visa instead.

Sources

2025年全国民航航班运行效率报告 — 2025 national domestic flight on-time rate 91.09% — Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) · Reviewed 2026-07-12

交通运输部：新申请的跨省客运班线不得超过800公里 — Ministry of Transport of China (via Sina News) · Reviewed 2026-07-12

道路旅客运输及客运站管理规定（2023年修正版） — Ministry of Transport of China · Reviewed 2026-07-29

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

Source-bound facts (gov.cn / NIA / US Embassy): the 72/144-hour transit was expanded to 240 hours (2024-12-17); 55 countries eligible as of June 2025 (Indonesia added 2025-06-12, NIA); 65 eligible ports confirmed (US Embassy document, June 2026). Counts, ports and country lists must be re-checked on the official source before use. Last checked: 2026-08-14.

Not transiting? Check your visa path

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