China's 240-hour visa-free transit
Up to 10 days in China without a visa. Below: the five conditions, the stay clock, the permitted areas, and every figure traced to the notice it comes from.
Quick summary
| Maximum stay | 240 hours (no more than 10 days) |
|---|---|
| Nationalities covered | 57 |
| Designated ports | 65 open exit-entry ports in 24 provinces |
| Permitted area | Within the designated areas of the 24 provinces — not the whole country |
| Must hold | An ordinary passport, and an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and departure date |
| Route required | Transit to a third country or region |
What it is called matters
The official term is Transit Without Visa (TWOV). It is not a visa, and the notice describes entry without one rather than the issuing of anything:
Currently, China is implementing this policy for nationals of 57 countries including Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Nationals of these countries, who need to transit through China to third countries or regions, may enter visa-free through any of the designated 65 open exit-entry ports in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government and stay in the permitted areas for no more than 10 days, provided that they hold ordinary passports and onward tickets with confirmed seats and departure dates.Source: nia_twov_en · verified 2026-10-24
The wording above is the notice's own. It never uses the phrase "transit visa".
The five conditions
All five come from the same notice. If any one fails, the scheme does not apply to that route.
- Your nationality is on the list. 57 countries are covered; see the list below.
- You are transiting to a third country or region. The route continues onward; it does not end in China.
- You enter through one of the 65 designated ports. Not every port is designated.
- You hold an ordinary passport.
- You hold an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and departure date.
The 57 nationalities
As listed in the notice, by region:
Europe — 40 countries
North America — 2 countries
South America — 4 countries
Oceania — 2 countries
Asia — 9 countries
(I) List of 57 Countries Europe (40 countries): 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, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom North America (2 countries): Canada, United States South America (4 countries): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand Asia (9 countries): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, VietnamSource: nia_twov_en · verified 2026-10-25
How the 240 hours are counted
The stay period does not start when you land:
The border inspection authority will process temporary entry procedures; the visa-free stay period is calculated from 00:00 on the day following entry.Source: nia_gg_2025_no4 · verified 2026-10-24
Where you may travel
The scheme covers 24 provinces, but the permitted area within them is not uniform. The notice sets out three different arrangements:
240小时过境免签政策适用省份由原有的北京、天津、河北、辽宁、黑龙江、上海、江苏、浙江、福建、山东、河南、湖北、湖南、广东、广西、重庆、四川、云南、陕西19个省（区、市）增加山西、安徽、江西、海南、贵州5省，共24个省（区、市）。新增的5省中，过境免签人员在安徽、海南、贵州3省停留活动区域为全省，在山西省停留活动区域为太原、大同市，在江西省停留活动区域为南昌、景德镇市。将福建、湖北、陕西3省停留活动区域扩大至全省，广西壮族自治区停留活动区域扩大至南宁、柳州、桂林、梧州、北海、防城港、钦州、贵港、玉林、贺州、河池、来宾12市行政区域。
官方公告原文（中文）：nia_gg_2024_no12 · 核验 2026-10-24
What that means in practice
- A whole province — in Anhui, Hainan and Guizhou the permitted area is the entire province.
- Named cities only — in Shanxi it is Taiyuan and Datong; in Jiangxi it is Nanchang and Jingdezhen.
- Full province after expansion — Fujian, Hubei and Shaanxi were widened to the whole province.
- Named cities in Guangxi — Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi and Laibin.
The passage above is quoted from the official Chinese announcement, which is the text that carries these distinctions. No English version of this particular passage was published by the issuing authority.
Travel between provinces is permitted within those areas:
Visa-free transit travelers can make cross-province visits in the permitted areas in the 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) for no more than 240 hours.Source: nia_gg_2024_no12 · verified 2026-10-24
What you may do during the stay
Foreign nationals covered by this policy may, within the designated areas, engage in activities like travel activities, business activities, visits, family reunions, etc., during their stay periods. Activities such as work, study, or news reporting still require prior approvals and appropriate visas.Source: nia_twov_en · verified 2026-10-24
Leaving through Guangdong
Guangdong Province (Exits available at all open ports across the province)Source: nia_twov_en · verified 2026-10-24
240-hour transit vs 30-day visa-free entry
These are two separate schemes, and they are commonly confused. The 30-day scheme is not a transit scheme at all.
| 240-hour transit | 30-day visa-free entry | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | 57 nationalities | A separate list of nationalities |
| Route | Must be transiting to a third country or region | No transit requirement |
| Entry | Through one of 65 designated ports | Not restricted to designated ports |
| Stay | 240 hours, calculated from 00:00 the day after entry | Up to 30 days per entry |
| Where | Within the designated areas of 24 provinces | Not subject to the transit area limits |
The comparison summarises the two notices; it is not a substitute for reading them. Which one applies to your trip depends on your nationality, your ports and where you go next.
Check your own route
The five conditions interact, and the outcome depends on the port you enter, where you go next and how long you stay. The check applies all of them to your itinerary.
Check my route →Questions
Is it a visa?
No. The official term is Transit Without Visa. The notice permits entry without a visa; it does not issue one.
Do I need the onward ticket before I fly?
The notice requires an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and departure date. It is part of the condition, not a suggestion.
Can I visit any city in the 24 provinces?
Not always. Some provinces allow the whole province, others only named cities — the notice sets out which in each case.
Is Hong Kong counted as a third region?
The notice says the route must continue to a third country or region. Hong Kong and Macao are separate regions for this purpose, but whether your specific itinerary qualifies depends on the entry port, the exit port and where you go next — which is what the route check applies.
What if my nationality is not on the list?
Then this scheme does not apply to you. A regular visa is required for a visit to China.
Every figure on this page is taken from a published notice and carries its source and verification date. Where a route depends on something the notices do not settle, we say so instead of guessing. How the check works.