China 10-Day Visa-Free Transit Policy 2025

China has always been an ideal tourist destination, though its visa process can sometimes feel challenging. Fortunately, with the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, you can stay in China for up to 10 days and enjoy a memorable China trip. Thus, we've prepared the most complete guide to explain the visa-free transit policy and assist you in planning your visa-free travel in China.

The 10-day visa-free policy is also called the 240-hour visa-free policy. With this policy, you can take an international flight or cruise to 24 eligible regions of China without a visa and stay for up to 10 days, and then continue your journey to a third country. This means China is not your final destination but a stopover on your journey. During these 10 days, you can travel across provincial boundaries within the 24 eligible regions and enjoy a visa-free tour.

Here are a few examples to help you quickly understand this policy:

  • Itinerary #1: U.S.- Beijing - Guilin - Hong Kong Valid.
  • Itinerary #2: Hong Kong - Beijing - Guilin - Hong Kong × Invalid.
  • Itinerary #3: Hong Kong - Guilin - Hong Kong × Invalid.
  • Itinerary #4: U.S. - Beijing - Shanghai - Korea. √ Valid.
  • Itinerary #5: U.S. - Beijing - Zhangjiajie - Shanghai - Japan. √ Valid.

Find more valid visa-free itineraries here: More visa-free China tours

The Forbidden City in BeijingThe Forbidden City in Beijing

You are eligible for the transit visa-free policy if you are from the following 54 countries or hold a passport from one of these countries:

  • 3 countries in North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico
  • 3 countries in South America: Brazil, Argentina, and Chile
  • 40 countries in Europe: 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-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, and Norway
  • 2 countries in Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
  • 6 countries in Asia: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar

Currently, China has established 24 transit visa-free areas, which permit entry through 60 specific ports. These 24 areas cover China's top tourist cities, such as Beijing and Xi'an for history, Zhangjiajie for landscapes, Shanghai for modernity, Yunnan for ethnic cultures, and Chengdu, home of giant pandas.

Province
(City)
Eligible AreaPort of Entry
BeijingBeijingBeijing Capital International Airport; Beijing Daxing International Airport
ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International Airport; Shanghai Pudong International Airport; Shanghai Seaport
ShaanxiThe whole Shaanxi Province, including Xi'anXi'an Xianyang International Airport
Sichuan11 cities: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, and Ziyang.Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport; Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
HunanThe whole Hunan Province, including Changsha and ZhangjiajieChangsha Huanghua International Airport; Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport
Yunnan9 cities: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, and Lijiang.Kunming Changshui International Airport; Lijiang Sanyi International Airport; Mohan Railway Station Port

Beyond the popular cities, Northern China's visa-free areas are also worth visiting. These cities tend to have fewer tourists but offer beautiful scenery and unique local cultures.

Province
( City)
Eligible AreaPort of Entry
TianjinTianjinTianjin Binhai International Airport; Tianjin Seaport
HenanThe whole Henan Province, including Zhengzhou and DengfengZhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport
LiaoningThe whole Liaoning Province, including DalianShenyang Taoxian International Airport; Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport; Dalian Seaport
ShanxiTaiyuan and DatongTaiyuan Wusu International Airport
HebeiThe whole Hebei Province, including ChengdeShijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport; Qinhuangdao Seaport
HeilongjiangHarbinHarbin Taiping International Airport
ShandongThe whole Shandong Province, including Qingdao, Jinan and QufuJinan Yaoqiang International Airport; Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport; Yantai Penglai International Airport; Weihai Dashuibo International Airport; Qingdao Seaport

Southern China offers more natural scenery, including Huangshan, West Lake in Hangzhou, and Suzhou, the "Venice of the East." Guizhou also offers rich ethnic culture, with Miao and Shui villages to explore.

Province
(City)
Eligible AreaPort of Entry
Guangxi12 cities: Guilin, Nanning, Liuzhou, Wuzhou, Fangchenggang, Beihai, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and LaibinNanning Wuxu International Airport; Beihai Fucheng Airport; Guilin Liangjiang International Airport; Beihai Seaport
ZhejiangThe whole Zhejiang Province, including Hangzhou, Wenzhou and YiwuHangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport; Ningbo Lishe International Airport; Wenzhou Longwan International Airport; Yiwu International Airport; Wenzhou Seaport; Zhoushan Seaport
AnhuiThe whole Anhui Province, including HuangshanHefei Xinqiao International Airport; Huangshan Tunxi International Airport
FujianThe whole Fujian Province, including Xiamen and FuzhouFuzhou Changle International Airport; Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport; Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport; Wuyishan International Airport; Xiamen Seaport
HubeiThe whole Hubei Province, including WuhanWuhan Tianhe International Airport
HainanThe whole Hainan Province, including HaikouHaikou Meilan International Airport; Sanya Phoenix International Airport
ChongqingChongqingChongqing Jiangbei International Airport
GuizhouThe whole Guizhou Province, including GuiyangGuiyang Longdongbao International Airport
JiangxiNanchang and JingdezhenNanchang Changbei International Airport
GuangdongThe whole Guangdong Province, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and ShantouGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport; Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport; Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport; Nansha Seaport; Shekou Seaport
JiangsuThe whole Jiangsu Province, including Nanjing and SuzhouNanjing Lukou International Airport; Sunan Shuofang International Airport; Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport; Lianyungang Seaport

China's transit visa-free policy differs from the visa-free entry policy in certain aspects. Generally speaking, the visa-free entry policy covers a wider area and allows for a longer stay. However, the countries eligible for visa-free entry do not fully overlap with those eligible for visa-free transit. The specifics are listed below:

 Visa-Free EntryVisa-Free Transit
Permitted duration of stay30 days10 days
Eligible nationalities38 unilateral visa-free countries & 25 mutual visa-free countries54 countries as listed above
Area of stayMainland China (Tibet Travel Permit is needed for visiting Tibet)24 eligible regions of mainland China (crossing provincial boundaries is allowed)

1. What to prepare before entering China?

  • Have an onward ticket to the next country with a confirmed date and seat for departure within 10 days.
  • Fill out the Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners at the port.
  • Make sure your passports have a validity of at least 3 months.

2. How are the 10 days calculated?

Counting starts at 12 am on the second day of your arrival. For example, if your flight arrives in Beijing at 14:00 on October 1, but the count does not start until 00:00 on October 2. You may have more hours for sightseeing in China until the last minute on October 11. However, if there is any delay in your departure time to the next country, applying for an extension for your stay is required.

3. Can I visit Tibet under the visa-free transit policy?

No. Tibet is not on the list of 24 eligible regions for visa-free transit. However, if you're eligible for the visa-free entry policy, we can assist you in applying for a Tibet Travel Permit because individual travelers cannot visit Tibet alone.

Planning a Visa-Free Trip to China

If your next trip takes you through China, why not take full advantage of the visa-free policy and enjoy a wonderful trip in this enchanting country? Don't worry about the complexity of your itinerary with so many options. Contact us or write to trip@odynovotours.com, and we will plan the itinerary for you. Trust our professional team to give you a satisfactory answer. We look forward to working with you on your China tour.

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