If you’re transiting through China on an eligible passport, you can stay for up to 10 days without a visa — enough time to turn a long-haul layover into a real holiday in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou.
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy covers 55 countries including the UAE, Qatar, and the UK. It lets you enter through any of 65 open ports across 24 provinces, as long as you have an onward ticket to a third country. The programme has been live since December 2024 and was widened with five new Guangdong entry points in November 2025, so the full benefits are available to use now — no application, no fee, stamped in on arrival.
Here’s how to make it work before you book your flights to China.
What the 240-hour visa-free transit policy is
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy lets eligible foreign nationals transit through mainland China for up to 10 days without applying for a visa in advance. It is administered by China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) and replaced the earlier 144-hour policy in December 2024.
The NIA’s latest update, announced on 3 November 2025 and effective 5 November 2025, added five new Guangdong ports to the scheme. Separately, on 4 November 2025, China extended its unilateral 30-day visa-exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries through 31 December 2026 — a distinct policy that lets passport holders of those countries enter China for up to 30 days without any visa or transit restriction.
Key rules at a glance
- Maximum stay: up to 240 hours (10 days)
- Eligible nationalities: 55 countries (full list below)
- Eligible ports: 65 open exit–entry ports
- Permitted regions: 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities
- Required: onward ticket with confirmed seat and date to a third country or region
- Passport validity: at least 3 months from the date of entry
- Permitted activities: tourism, business, family visits, exchange visits
- Not covered: work, study, and news reporting — these require a proper visa
The full list of 55 eligible countries
The NIA-published list covers 55 countries across five continents, with Indonesia the most recent addition from June 2025. For Gulf and UK travellers, the key eligibles for the 240-hour transit policy are the UAE, Qatar, and the United Kingdom.
| Region | Eligible countries |
|---|---|
| Europe (40) | Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom |
| North America (3) | Canada, Mexico, United States |
| South America (3) | Argentina, Brazil, Chile |
| Oceania (2) | Australia, New Zealand |
| Asia (7) | Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates |
What this means for GCC and UK travelers
UAE and Qatari passport holders qualify under the 240-hour transit policy. Saudi, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, and Omani passport holders are not on the 240-hour transit list — but, since 9 June 2025, they qualify under China’s separate unilateral visa-free policy, which lets them enter China for up to 30 days without any visa or onward-ticket requirement. That arrangement has been extended through 31 December 2026. UK passport holders and all Schengen nationals are eligible for the 240-hour transit. For Gulf residents with a second passport, eligibility is based on the passport presented at the border.
Eligible ports and provinces: Where you can enter and stay
The scheme covers 65 exit–entry ports across 24 provincial-level regions — the widest coverage since launch, following the November 2025 Guangdong expansion.
The newest Guangdong ports are Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Hengqin Port, Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Port, Zhongshan Port, and West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link — useful if you’re flying into Hong Kong or Macao and continuing by rail or road.
Major eligible gateway cities
- Beijing — Beijing Capital (PEK) and Beijing Daxing (PKX)
- Shanghai — Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)
- Guangzhou — Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN)
- Chengdu — Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) and Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU)
- Xi’an — Xi’an Xianyang (XIY)
- Hangzhou — Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH)
- Shenzhen — Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX)
- Chongqing — Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG)
24 provincial-level regions where you can move freely
Once you’re admitted under the 240-hour permit, you can travel between the eligible regions during your stay. The 24 covered regions are: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Jiangxi, Shanxi, and Heilongjiang.
Note that a few of these regions have city-level restrictions rather than full-province access: in Shanxi you’re limited to Taiyuan and Datong; in Jiangxi, to Nanchang and Jingdezhen; in Heilongjiang, to Harbin; in Guangxi, to 12 specified cities including Nanning, Guilin and Beihai; and in Yunnan and Sichuan, to a list of named cities. Crossing into provinces not on the list (for example, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, or Jilin) is not permitted under the 240-hour transit rules and requires a proper Chinese visa.
What you can actually do with 10 days
Ten days is enough for a real multi-city trip, not just a quick walk around one neighbourhood. High-speed rail between major gateway cities runs at 300+ km/h and connects most of eastern China in a few hours, so pairing two or three cities is practical.
| Itinerary | Route | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Classic North | Beijing → Xi’an → Shanghai | First-timers: Great Wall, Terracotta Army, the Bund |
| South Gateway | Guangzhou → Shenzhen → Hong Kong exit | Food, shopping, an easy exit to a third region |
| Culture + Landscape | Shanghai → Hangzhou → Chengdu | West Lake, pandas, Sichuan cuisine |
| Short & Focused | Shanghai only (5–6 days) | Business travellers tacking on leisure days |
Enter at one port and exit from another — for example, land in Beijing and depart from Shenzhen to Hong Kong. Book hotels in Shanghai or hotels in Beijing in advance, since hotels handle your mandatory address registration automatically.
How the 10-day clock actually works
This is the detail most travellers miss. The 240-hour (10-day) countdown does not start at the moment you clear immigration — it begins at 00:00 the day after you enter China.
In practice, that means you get your arrival day essentially free, on top of the 10 days. If you land in Shanghai at 2pm on 10 March, the clock only starts at 00:00 on 11 March. You must then leave China by 23:59 on 20 March.
Worked example
| Event | Date & time (Beijing Time) |
|---|---|
| Arrival at PEK | 10 March, 14:00 |
| 240-hour clock begins | 11 March, 00:00 |
| Latest permitted departure | 20 March, 23:59 |
| Effective time in China | Roughly 11 days |
Other clock rules to know
- You must depart to a third country or region — not the country you arrived from. Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan all count as valid third destinations.
- You can enter and leave through different ports. For example, enter at Shanghai and exit from Shenzhen.
- Overstaying even by a few hours is a visa violation and can lead to fines or future entry bans.
How to use the policy: Step-by-step for GCC and UK travellers
There’s no online application and no fee. You get the 240-hour permit stamped into your passport when you clear immigration at any of the 65 eligible ports. That said, you need to arrive with the right paperwork.
Before you fly
- Confirm your passport is valid for at least three months beyond your planned entry date.
- Book an onward flight, train, or ferry ticket to a third country or region, with a confirmed seat and date within 240 hours of arrival.
- Tell the airline at check-in that you are using the 240-hour transit programme — staff may ask to see your onward ticket before issuing a boarding pass.
- You can complete your China arrival card online before travel, or fill it in on an electronic device at the port of entry — a digital option rolled out from 20 November 2025 to speed up immigration lines.
At the airport in China
- Follow signs for “Foreigners” / “240-Hour Visa-Free Transit” at immigration.
- Present your passport, arrival card, and onward ticket to the officer.
- You’ll be issued a temporary entry permit stamp — check the permitted stay dates before leaving the counter.
- Register your address with the local police within 24 hours of arrival if you’re not staying at a hotel. Hotels do this automatically.
Booking tips for stopover travellers
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and British Airways all connect Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and London to major Chinese gateways. Compare flights to Shanghai, flights to Beijing, and flights to Guangzhou with stopover-friendly routings on Wego.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to apply for the 240-hour transit permit in advance?
No. The permit is issued on arrival at any of the 65 eligible ports, as long as you hold an eligible passport and an onward ticket to a third country within 240 hours. There is no application form and no fee.
Can Saudi, Kuwaiti, Bahraini or Omani passport holders use the 240-hour transit?
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman are not on the 240-hour transit list — but they don’t need it. Since 9 June 2025, China has granted nationals of all four countries visa-free entry for up to 30 days under a separate unilateral visa-exemption policy. That arrangement has been extended through 31 December 2026, so ordinary passport holders from these countries can enter China for business, tourism, visiting family, exchanges or transit without applying for a visa.
Can I visit Hong Kong or Macao during my 240 hours?
Hong Kong and Macao are treated as third destinations under the policy. You can exit mainland China to Hong Kong or Macao to end your 240-hour period, but returning to the mainland afterwards requires a new permit or visa.
Can I travel between provinces during my stay?
Yes, you can move freely among the 24 covered provincial-level regions, subject to city-level restrictions in a few of them (Shanxi, Jiangxi, Heilongjiang, Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan only allow travel to specified cities). You cannot travel to regions outside the list, including Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Jilin, and Xinjiang.
When exactly does the 10-day clock start?
At 00:00 Beijing Time on the day after you enter China. Your day of arrival does not count against the 240 hours, so the effective stay is roughly 11 days.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration of China — Visa-Free Transit Policies
- The State Council of the People’s Republic of China — China widens visa-free access in latest opening-up move (4 November 2025)
- Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the USA — China Extends 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy Coverage to 55 Countries
- China Briefing — China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: What to Know Before You Travel
- The People’s Government of Beijing Municipality — China Expands Visa-Free Transit & Digital Entry Options for Foreign Travelers
- China Briefing — China Visa-Free Travel: A Complete Guide
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
