China 240-Hour Transit Visa Exemption Checker
China allows citizens of 57 countries to transit through China for up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa — but all five conditions below must be met. Answer the questions to check your eligibility instantly.
China’s 240-hour transit visa exemption lets citizens of 57 countries pass through China for up to ten days without applying for a visa in advance — but it is a transit policy, not a tourist visa. It exists for travellers who are genuinely on their way somewhere else: you arrive from one country, spend up to 240 hours in China, and leave for a third country or region. This checker walks through the five conditions immigration officers actually apply, so you can learn in under a minute whether your trip fits the policy — and if it does not, exactly which condition is the problem.
The five conditions are cumulative; failing any one of them ends the matter. Your nationality must be on the list of 57 — the country picker above is that list, current as of the National Immigration Administration’s August 2026 announcement, which added Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam. Your passport must have at least three months of validity remaining. You must hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region departing within 240 hours of your arrival — Hong Kong and Macau count as third regions, but a ticket back to the country you flew in from does not count as transit at all. You must enter through one of the 65 designated ports, which include all major international airports. And your purpose must be tourism, business, or a family visit: work, study, and journalism always require a visa.
Two details catch travellers out. First, the clock: the 240 hours run from the exact moment you clear immigration, not from midnight or the calendar date, and overstaying by even a few hours can bring fines and trouble with future visa applications — set reminders well before your deadline. Second, the policy is easily confused with China’s separate unilateral 30-day visa-free scheme, which covers a different list of countries and does not require an onward ticket. Travellers whose country appears on both lists usually find the 30-day scheme more flexible, but the lists change independently, so check which policy actually covers you before you fly.
This checker is a guidance tool built from the published policy, not legal advice, and the immigration officer at the desk makes the final decision. If any answer leaves you unsure — an unusual routing, a passport close to expiry, a port you cannot confirm — ask the nearest Chinese consulate or check the National Immigration Administration’s official site before booking non-refundable tickets.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries qualify for the 240-hour transit visa exemption?
As of August 20, 2026, citizens of 57 countries holding ordinary passports qualify, per the National Immigration Administration (NIA) Announcement No. 4 of 2026. Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were the most recent additions.
The breakdown: 40 European countries (including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, and Ukraine), 6 in the Americas (USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile), 2 in Oceania (Australia, New Zealand), and 9 in Asia (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Qatar, UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam).
Do not rely on older lists showing 54 or 55 countries — those predate the August 2026 expansion. When in doubt, the NIA's official English site (en.nia.gov.cn) is the authoritative source.
Does Hong Kong or Macau count as a "third country" for transit?
Yes. For the purposes of this policy, Hong Kong and Macau are treated as "third regions." A routing like London → Beijing → Hong Kong qualifies as genuine transit, because you are leaving mainland China for a different jurisdiction.
What does not qualify is a simple return: for example, New York → Shanghai → New York. Immigration officers specifically look for this — "transit" means passing through China on your way somewhere else, not visiting China as the destination and going home. Your onward ticket must show a destination different from your origin country.
Practically, this makes the policy very useful for multi-stop Asia trips: fly into mainland China, spend up to 10 days, then continue to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, or anywhere else. Just make sure the onward booking is confirmed (not standby) and departs within 240 hours of your arrival.
How is the 240-hour limit actually calculated?
The 240 hours (exactly 10 days) are counted from the precise moment you pass through immigration control, not from midnight or the calendar date of arrival. A 10:30 PM arrival on the 1st gives you until 10:30 PM on the 11th.
This is generous but unforgiving: overstaying by even a few hours is a violation of your permitted stay. Consequences can include fines (up to 10,000 RMB), detention in serious cases, and — most costly for frequent travelers — a record that complicates all future Chinese visa applications. The margin for error is zero, so set multiple reminders: one at 48 hours before departure, one at 12 hours.
Note that the 240-hour policy replaced the older 72-hour and 144-hour transit schemes. If you see references to those shorter windows in old guides, they are outdated — the whole country now operates on the single 240-hour standard.
Is this the same as China's 30-day visa-free policy?
No — they are two completely separate policies with different country lists and different rules. Confusing them is the most common mistake travelers make.
The 240-hour transit exemption (this page) requires you to be genuinely in transit to a third country, with a confirmed onward ticket. It covers 57 nationalities and allows up to 10 days, restricted to 24 designated provinces/municipalities.
The unilateral 30-day visa-free policy is a different program covering roughly 77 countries (the list changes periodically). It does not require an onward ticket to a third country — you can fly in and out of China directly. But its country list, permitted activities, and registration requirements differ.
Check which policy you actually fall under before traveling. If your country is on both lists, the 30-day policy is usually more flexible — but verify current status on the NIA website, as unilateral lists are adjusted more frequently than the transit scheme.