China 144 Hours (Currently 240 Hours) Visa Free Transit: Cities, Requirements, Application & Tips 2025

Now, the 240-Hour Transit Visa Exemption policy in China opens to 54 states in 4 continents. So only citizens from one of the 54 members are allowed to apply for the service. The eligible country list is same to that of China’s 72-Hour Transit Visa Exemption. Read the list below to see if you meet the precondition. Read full list of Countries Applicable to 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit >>

European Countries

European Countries under Schengen Visa Agreement (25):

Austria, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Other European Countries:

Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco and Belarus.

American Countries:

The United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and the Republic of Chile.

Oceania Countries:

Australia and New Zealand.

Asian Countries (6):

South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

If you want to apply for the 240-Hour Transit Visa Exemption when passing through China, there are certain requirements you have to meet.

● Foreigners must come from the designated 54 countries

The policy only applies to citizens from the specified 54 nations in Asia, Europe, America and Oceania. The nationality of your passport will be checked if you are eligible applicants. (Check the detailed list of qualified countries below.)

● Foreigners must hold valid international travel documents

A passport is the most common travel document as the proof of visitors’ identity. Visitors can also take other recognized travel documents to certify their nationality and identity. The passport or other document should have a validity of at least 3 months. (Note that Identity Card, Driver Licence are normally not considered an international travel documents.

● Foreigners must hold a connecting ticket bound for a third country (region) within 240 Hours

One of the most crucial condition is that, foreigners have to hold a connecting ticket (usually flight ticket) to a third country/region with confirmed seat, date within 240 hours. You need to provide document presenting fixed departure date, and departure and next destination are different.

Tips: Hong Kong and Macau are regarded as third regions from China's mainland. Hong Kong Visa / Macau Visa >>

Valid Routes Samples:

1. US > Beijing > Hong Kong or Macau

2. Australia > Shanghai > Hangzhou > Hong Kong or Macau

3. US > Guangzhou > Japan > US

4. New York > Beijing > Kuala Lumpur

5. London > Chengdu > Hong Kong

6. Los Angeles > Hong Kong > Guangzhou > Los Angeles

● Foreigners must enter and exit via specified ports

Passengers are required to get into and leave China from appointed ports, for example, you can only apply for 240-Hour Visa-free Transit in Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing.

Applying the visa-free transit in a airport, cruise port or railway port is much easier and faster than application of a regular tourist visa in a Chinese Embassy or Consulate abroad. Once successfully approved, your passport will stamp a stay permit, instead of a whole stick on a visa page.

Required Documents:

a. Personal valid international travel documents with a validity of at least 3 months from the date of entry;

b. Onward (flight/train/cruise) ticket to a third country (region) with confirmed seat and date within 240 hour on arrival;

c. Completed Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners;

d. Valid visa to the third country or region (if requires).

Application Process:

Normally, there are 6 steps to follow to apply for the 240-Hour Visa-exemption Transit. Meanwhile, Shanghai has adopted an easy and fast online application system pre-arrival since November 2018. Let’s see what you should do to take the transit visa exemption.

Option One (Most Common Procedure):

A. You should notify the carrier that you would apply for the 240-Hour Visa-free Transit when boarding. They will convey your need to the immigration office.

B. Follow signs at customs area, and get to the dedicated counter/channel immigration department set for 240-Hour Visa-free Transit applicants.

C. If get approved, your passport will be stamped a stay permit by the officer, which shows the issuing date, the permitted duration of stay.

D. If you have a valid Chinese Visa, and don’t want to use it this time, you should tell the immigration officer you will enter and transit by applying the 240-Hour Visa-free Transit.

E. After leaving airport, you must register yourself within 24 hours upon arrival at the local police station or Public Security Bureau (PSB). If you will stay in hotel, the hotel staff will do the registration for you.

F. You’re required to apply for a new Chinese Visa from the local PSB, if you intend to travel other cities or stay longer than 240 hours. Otherwise, your illegal stay will face fines and other serious consequences.

Passport and Connecting Flight Ticket are Required Documents

Indicator for 240 Hours China Visa Free Transit

240 Hour Visa Free Transit Application Area

The 240-Hour Visa-free policy is only applicable for foreigners’ short transit in China. If you want to take advantage of such convenience and tour chance during the layover, you should meet all requirements, comply with all regulations and laws. Here we give you more useful guide and tips about it.

▶ Transit Route

The 240-Hour Visa-free Transit policy is suitable for visitors who transit the specified area with onward transfer to a third country/region. Therefore, the departure and next arrival destination must be different.

For example:

a. Australia – Beijing – Tianjin – Singapore is OK (✔).

b. Australia – Beijing – Shanghai – Singapore is OK (✔).

c. Australia – Beijing – Dalian – Tianjin – Singapore is OK (✔).

d. Australia – Shanghai - Xian - Singapore is OK (✔).

e. Sydney - Shanghai - Hong Kong -Sydney is OK (✔).

f. New Zealand - Shanghai - Suzhou - Hangzhou - Shanghai - New Zealand is Not OK (✘).

g. New Zealand - Guangzhou - Shenzhen - Hong Kong/Macau - New Zealand is OK (✔).

▶ Area of Movement

▶ Calculation of Entry Date

The 240-hour visa free transit officially counts from 00:00 on the next day after entry, not from the time when the flight land at the airport, or the time you get the stay permit. So you actually stay more than 240 hours. For example, if you arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 7:00 on March 1st, 2025, so the visa-free transit begins from 00:00 on March 2. Therefore, you can stay up to 24:00 on March 7th, 2025.

▶ Others

① Must check carefully if you meet all the application qualifications.

When you belong to one of the following situations, you can NOT use the 240-Hour Visa-free Transit in China.

1.) The exit & entry border check authority confirmed your visit to China is prohibited according to relevant laws and regulations; 2.) Passport or other international travel documents you hold is not valid for 3 months, or stamped visa refusal; 3.) You had illegal entry/exit, stay and work record in China within 5 years; 4.) You had violation of accommodation registration and caused serious cases in China within 2 years.

② Prior to arrival, you need to report the visa-free transit request to the immigration authority through the airline company or personally.

③ You’re required to fill in Arrival Card (the blue one, not the yellow slip get on plane) on arrival, fill up the Departure Card at counter when leaving.