China Extends the 74-144 Hours Visa-Free Transit Policy to 240 Hours!

In order to promote high-level opening-up, facilitate the exchange between Chinese and foreign people，China has updated its free-visa transit policy again. We welcome more foreign friends to come to China to experience its beautiful scenery and delicious Chinese food. The China National Immigration Administration announced that China has decided to further relax and fully optimized its free-visa transit policy for foreign nationals on December 17, 2024. The measures include extending the visa-free transit duration for passengers staying in China to 240 hours(10 days), adding 21 entry and exit ports for visa-free transit passengers, and enlarging the region of stay for visa-free transit foreign nationals. Additionally, people who meet the conditions can cross China to travel to other countries from any of the 60 Opening-up ports in 24 provinces. However, the duration for foreign nationals staying in restricted areas cannot exceed 240 hours. Here are more information about this optimization.

Extended the Stay Duration to 240 Hours (10 Days)

The duration for foreign nationals staying in China has been extended from the previous 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). This means foreign visitors now have more time to travel in China, allowing them to explore the country's rich culture, historical sites, and beautiful landscapes at a more leisurely pace, resulting in a more fulfilling travel experience.

 

Expanded 21 Entry and Exit Ports

The number of entry and exit ports has increased from the original 39 to the current 60 (more information is provided in Table 1 at the end of this article). A total of 21 new entry and exit ports have been added.
They are :

Shanxi(山西): Taiyuan Wusu International Airport
Jiangsu(江苏): Sunan Shuofang International Airport and Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport
Zhejiang(浙江): Wenzhou Longwan International Airport and Yiwu Airport
Anhui(安徽): Hefei Xinqiao International Airport and Huangshan Tunxi International Airport
Fujian(福建): Fuzhou Changle International Airport, Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport, and Wuyishan Airport
Jiangxi(江西): Nanchang Changbei International Airport
Shandong(山东): Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport, Yantai Penglai International Airport, and Weihai Dashuibo International Airport
Hunan(湖南): Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport
Guangxi(广西): Guangxi Nanning Wuxu International Airport and Beihai Fucheng International Airport
Hainan(海南): Haikou Meilan International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport
Sichuan(四川):  Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
Guizhou(贵州): Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport

Expanded the Area of Stay for Visa Free Transit Policy

After fully optimizing the visa-free transit policy, China has enlarged the area of stay for visa-free transit passengers. In the past, there were 19 provinces, but now there are 24 (more information is shown in Table 1). The 5 added provinces are Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou. In these 5 provinces, the area of stay in Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou includes the entire province; the area of stay in Shanxi includes Taiyuan and Datong; and the area of stay in Jiangxi includes Nanchang and Jingdezhen. Moreover, three provinces—Fujian, Hubei, and Shaanxi—have extended the scope to the entire province. Guangxi has expanded to 12 cities: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin.

Foreigners who come to China under the visa-free transit policy can travel across provinces within the areas specified in these 24 provinces.

Requirements for the 240-Hour Free-Visa Transit Policy

1. Belonging to Citizens of 54 Eligible Countries for the Free-Visa Transit Policy

European Countries (40)	Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway.
American Countries (6)	United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
Oceania Countries (2)	Australia, New Zealand.
Asian Countries (6)	South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.

2. Holding valid international travel certification with a validity of no less than 3 months, in accordance with the entry requirements for traveling to a third country (or region).
3. Holding relevant certifications or connecting tickets which is an arrival station in the third country (or region), with a fixed departure date and seat number. Fill in the Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners and cooperate with the officers of the Entry and Exit Border Inspection Authority to complete the inspection and inquiry.

How to Use the 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy

If you are planning to travel in China, it is important to understand how to use the 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy. At first, it is important to clarify that this policy is suitable for people traveling from your countries to China and then to a third country (region).

Preparation to Use the Policy:

1. Confirm that you are a citizen of one of the eligible 54 countries.
2. Choose suitable entry and exit ports: Citizens from the eligible 54 countries can enter China through 60 ports where the visa-free policy applies.
3. Plan your trip: Citizens from the eligible 54 countries can travel within designated areas of 24 provinces (districts, cities).
4. Prepare your documents: valid passport, ticket to a third country (region), and proof of accommodation.

Some Tips While in China:

1. Please abide by Chinese laws while traveling in China.
2. Register your accommodation in accordance with the law: The hotel will handle the registration for you, but if you do not stay in a hotel, you should complete registration at the local police station within 24 hours of check-in.
3. Please be mindful of the duration of your stay in China: The stay period for foreign nationals under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy is calculated from 00:00 of the day following your entry.

If you are still confused, let me give you an example.

Suppose you are interested in traveling to China and then to a third country, and you are preparing to plan your trip. You can utilize the 240-Hour Free Visa Transit Policy.

1. 1. Confirm whether your country is among the 54 eligible countries for the 240-Hour Free Visa Transit Policy. If yes, proceed to the next step.
2. 2. Ensure that your passport is valid for no less than 3 months and meets the entry requirements for traveling to your third country (or region).
3. 3. As you plan your trip, note that Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and Chongqing are all part of the designated areas under the 240-Hour Free Visa Transit Policy. Choose several places you are interested in and consider how to get there. These locations are connected by both trains and flights. If you want to experience China’s famous high-speed trains, you can use our app called “China Train Booking.” Here’s your “itinerary”:

Day 1-3: Beijing
Day 4-5: Xi’an
Day 6-7: Chongqing
Day 8-9: Shanghai
Day 10: Go to the third country
...

4. 4. After purchasing tickets (including for your journey to the third country) and booking accommodation, ensure you have your valid passport, tickets to the third country (or region), and proof of accommodation ready.

That’s all for this article. Do you understand the 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy? If so, we’re glad to hear that! We sincerely hope you have a wonderful trip! Feel free to book your train tickets with China Train Booking!

 

Table 1

No.	Location	Enter and Exit Ports	The Designated Area
1	Beijing	Beijing Capital International Airport	Beijing Municipality
2		Beijing Daxing International Airport
3	Tianjin	Tianjin Binhai International Airport	Tianjin Municipality
4		Tianjin Haigang Port (Passenger)
5	Hebei	Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport	Hebei Province
6		Qinghuangdao Haigang Ports(Passenger)
7	Liaoning	Shenyang Taoxian International Airport	Liaoning Province
8		Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
9		Dalian Haigang Port (Passenger)
10	Shanghai	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport	Shanghai Municipality
11		Shanghai Pudong International Airport
12		Shanghai Haigang Port (Passenger)
13	Jiangsu	Nanjing Lukou International Airport	Jiangsu Province
14		Sunan Shuofang International Airport
15		Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport
16		Lianyungang Haigang Port (Passenger)
17	Zhejiang	Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport	Zhejiang Province
18		Ningbo Lishe International Airport
19		Wenzhou Longwan International Airport
20		Yiwu Airport
21		Wenzhou Port (Passenger)
22		Zhoushan Port(Passenger)
23	Anhui	Hefei Xinqiao International Airport	Anhui Province
24		Huangshan Tunxi International Airport
25	Fujian	Fuzhou Changle International Airport	Fujian Province
26		Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
27		Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport
28		Wuyishan Airport
29		Xiamen Haigang Port (Passenger)
30	Shandong	Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport	Shandong Province
31		Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
32		Yantai Penglai Intenational Airport
33		Weihai Dashuibo International Airport
34		Qingdao Haigang Port (Passenger)
35	Henan	Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport	Henan Province
36	Hubei	Wuhan Tianhe International Airport	Hubei Province
37	Hunan	Changsha Huanghua International Airport	Hunan Province
38		Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport
39	Guangdong	Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport	Guangdong Province
40		Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
41		Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
42		Nansha Port (Passenger)
43		Shekou Port (Passenger)
44	Hainan	Haikou Meilan International Airport	Hainan Province
45		Sanya Phoenix International Airport
46	Chongqing	Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport	Chongqing Municipality
47	Guizhou	Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport	Guizhou Province
48	Shaanxi	Xi'an Xianyang International Airport	Shaanxi Province
49	Shanxi	Taiyuan Wusu International Airport	Taiyuan, Datong
50	Heilongjiang	Harbin Taiping International Airport	Harbin
51	Jiangxi	Nanchang Changbei International Airport	Nanchang, Jingdezhen
52	Guangxi	Nanning Wuxu International Airport	Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin.
53		Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
54		Beihai Fucheng Airport
55		Beihai Haigang Port (Passenger)
56	Sichuan	Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport	Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, Ziyang
57		Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
58	Yunnan	Kunming Changshui International Airport	Kunming, Yu'xi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang
59		Lijiang Sanyi International Airport
60		Mohan Railway Port

(The bold text in the table indicates places or airports that have been added in this full optimization.)

(Note: The above information is only for reference.)

 

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