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.
What Is the 10-Day Visa-Free Transit Policy?
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 Beijing
Eligible Nationalities for 10-Day Visa-Free Transit in China
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
Popular Visa-Free Transit Destinations in China
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 Area | Port of Entry |
Beijing | Beijing | Beijing Capital International Airport; Beijing Daxing International Airport |
Shanghai | Shanghai | Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport; Shanghai Pudong International Airport; Shanghai Seaport |
Shaanxi | The whole Shaanxi Province, including Xi'an | Xi'an Xianyang International Airport |
Sichuan | 11 cities: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, and Ziyang. | Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport; Chengdu Tianfu International Airport |
Hunan | The whole Hunan Province, including Changsha and Zhangjiajie | Changsha Huanghua International Airport; Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport |
Yunnan | 9 cities: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, and Lijiang. | Kunming Changshui International Airport; Lijiang Sanyi International Airport; Mohan Railway Station Port |
Visa-Free Transit Destinations in Northern China
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 Area | Port of Entry |
Tianjin | Tianjin | Tianjin Binhai International Airport; Tianjin Seaport |
Henan | The whole Henan Province, including Zhengzhou and Dengfeng | Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport |
Liaoning | The whole Liaoning Province, including Dalian | Shenyang Taoxian International Airport; Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport; Dalian Seaport |
Shanxi | Taiyuan and Datong | Taiyuan Wusu International Airport |
Hebei | The whole Hebei Province, including Chengde | Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport; Qinhuangdao Seaport |
Heilongjiang | Harbin | Harbin Taiping International Airport |
Shandong | The whole Shandong Province, including Qingdao, Jinan and Qufu | Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport; Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport; Yantai Penglai International Airport; Weihai Dashuibo International Airport; Qingdao Seaport |
Visa-Free Transit Destinations in Southern China
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 Area | Port of Entry |
Guangxi | 12 cities: Guilin, Nanning, Liuzhou, Wuzhou, Fangchenggang, Beihai, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin | Nanning Wuxu International Airport; Beihai Fucheng Airport; Guilin Liangjiang International Airport; Beihai Seaport |
Zhejiang | The whole Zhejiang Province, including Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Yiwu | Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport; Ningbo Lishe International Airport; Wenzhou Longwan International Airport; Yiwu International Airport; Wenzhou Seaport; Zhoushan Seaport |
Anhui | The whole Anhui Province, including Huangshan | Hefei Xinqiao International Airport; Huangshan Tunxi International Airport |
Fujian | The whole Fujian Province, including Xiamen and Fuzhou | Fuzhou Changle International Airport; Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport; Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport; Wuyishan International Airport; Xiamen Seaport |
Hubei | The whole Hubei Province, including Wuhan | Wuhan Tianhe International Airport |
Hainan | The whole Hainan Province, including Haikou | Haikou Meilan International Airport; Sanya Phoenix International Airport |
Chongqing | Chongqing | Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport |
Guizhou | The whole Guizhou Province, including Guiyang | Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport |
Jiangxi | Nanchang and Jingdezhen | Nanchang Changbei International Airport |
Guangdong | The whole Guangdong Province, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou | Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport; Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport; Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport; Nansha Seaport; Shekou Seaport |
Jiangsu | The whole Jiangsu Province, including Nanjing and Suzhou | Nanjing Lukou International Airport; Sunan Shuofang International Airport; Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport; Lianyungang Seaport |
Differences Between Visa-Free Entry and Visa-Free Transit in China
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 Entry | Visa-Free Transit | |
Permitted duration of stay | 30 days | 10 days |
Eligible nationalities | 38 unilateral visa-free countries & 25 mutual visa-free countries | 54 countries as listed above |
Area of stay | Mainland China (Tibet Travel Permit is needed for visiting Tibet) | 24 eligible regions of mainland China (crossing provincial boundaries is allowed) |
FAQs about China Visa-Free Transit Policy
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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