Since late 2024, most travelers no longer need a visa for a China holiday. Under the expanded transit-visa exemption you can now stay up to 240 hours — a full 10 days — with no visa at all. Here's exactly who qualifies, how it works, and when you still need a proper visa.
In this guide
1. What the 240-hour policy is
China's 240-hour visa-free transit lets eligible passport holders enter, travel and leave China without applying for a visa, as long as they are technically "in transit" to a third country or region. In practice that covers the vast majority of round-the-world and multi-stop itineraries. The clock starts at 00:00 the day after you arrive and runs for ten days, and you can move freely between the participating regions.
2. Who qualifies (≈55 countries)
As of 2026, citizens of around 55 countries are eligible, including:
- Europe: the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Nordics and most of the EU/Schengen area.
- Americas: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile.
- Asia-Pacific & Middle East: Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, the UAE.
The list changes often. China keeps adding countries and ports. Always confirm your specific nationality against the latest official source before you book flights — or just tell us your passport and route and we'll confirm the simplest legal option for you.
3. The three rules that matter
- Onward ticket. You must hold a confirmed ticket leaving China for a third country or region within the 240-hour window. A ticket straight back to your origin can be refused at some ports, so route through a third place if you can.
- Eligible ports. You must enter and exit through one of the 60+ approved ports (all major international airports and many land/sea crossings). Most travelers are covered automatically.
- Stay within the covered regions. The exemption applies across the participating provinces and municipalities — which today spans almost the whole country — but a few remote areas still need permits.
4. How to use it at the airport
There's no application and no fee. On arrival you go to the "24/72/144/240-hour visa-free transit" counter (not the regular immigration line), show your passport and your onward ticket, and you're stamped in. It takes a few minutes. Fill in the arrival card, keep your onward booking on your phone, and know your first hotel address.
We handle this for you. On a China Voyage trip, your designer checks your eligibility before you book, structures your flights so you always meet the transit rule, and sends a one-page arrival cheat-sheet. Design my trip →
5. When you still need a tourist (L) visa
Apply for a normal tourist (L) visa in advance if any of these is true:
- You want to stay longer than 10 days.
- Your passport isn't on the visa-free list.
- You can't (or don't want to) hold an onward third-country ticket — e.g. a simple return trip.
- You're entering through a non-approved port or visiting a permit-only area.
The L visa is straightforward: an application form, a photo, your itinerary and hotel bookings, submitted to a Chinese visa centre. It typically allows 30–60 days per entry.
6. Common mistakes to avoid
- Booking a plain return flight and assuming transit applies — arrange a third-country onward leg, or get the L visa.
- Cutting the 240 hours too fine — count from 00:00 the day after arrival and leave a buffer.
- Assuming the list never changes — re-check close to departure; policies expand and occasionally adjust.
Not sure which applies to you? Send us your nationality, dates and rough route and a China Voyage designer will confirm the simplest legal entry option — free, within one working day. Design my trip →