The transit visa-free policy is a key for foreigners to “flash tour” China. As long as the three types of passports, connecting tickets and third country itineraries are complete, passengers from 55 countries can enter directly at 60 ports in 24 provinces and stay for up to 240 hours(The list can be found in this article). In other words, a transfer ticket can allow you to punch the Great Wall, the Bund and panda base with zero visa.
What Is the Relaxation of the Transit Visa Free Policy?
From December 17, 2,024, all 72/144 hour ports were upgraded to 240 hours (10 days), and 21 passenger ports were added, covering three channels for G-Series High-Speed Trains, cruise and airport. Simultaneous expansion of resident areas: Anhui, Hainan and Guizhou were open to the whole province; Guangxi was extended to 12 cities; Fujian, Hubei and Shaanxi were also upgraded to the whole province. In a word, the number of places that can play can be doubled directly.
| Highlights | Old Policies | 2,025 New Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Longest stay is | 144 hours | 240 hours |
| Available ports | 39 | 60 |
| Play area | City Circle | Multi Province |
Three Hard Conditions for the 240 Hour Transit Visa Free Policy
- passport valid for more than 3 months
2 confirmed seats, 240 hours departure connecting ticket - the country of entry is not equal to the country of exit (only different countries or regions can be considered as “transit”)
If these three conditions are met, the border inspection will issue a temporary entry permit on the site, and there is no need to go to the Embassy in advance. The key is to print the “third place” itinerary materials well. Sometimes the signal of e-ticket is poor and the paper is the most stable.
How Is the Schedule Arranged? I’ll Give You Three Sets of 240 Hour Templates
A. Classic Shuangcheng
- Day 1: landing in Shanghai → night tour in the Bund
- Day 2: G-Series High-Speed Train to Hangzhou → West Lake
- Day 3: G-Series High-Speed Train returns to Shanghai → Pudong airport flies to the third country
B.C. South of the Five Ridges Food Line
- Day 1: Guangzhou Baiyun entry → sign morning tea
- Day 2: Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge bus → one night in Hong Kong
- Day 3: Shekou cruise → Zhuhai Changlong
- Day 4: G-Series High-Speed Train to Shenzhen → Huaqiangbei Technology
- Day 5: Shenzhen Baoan exit
C. Panda + Hot Pot Depth
- Day 1: Chengdu Tianfu entry → Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley
- Day 2: Panda Base → Sichuan Opera Face Changing
- Day 3: G-Series High-Speed Train Leshan → Buddha Scenic Spot
- Day4 Meishan short stay → G-Series High-Speed Train back to Chengdu
- Day 5 Chengdu Shuangliu exit
The Common Reasons for Refusing Entry and the Guide to Avoid the Pit
- The joint ticket is not issued or the return section is not available → the boarding pass is printed in advance
- The passport validity period is not enough → change the passport before buying the ticket
- The itinerary list shows “return to China” instead of “go to the third country” → diversion point or adding cross-border section
- The same port from Hongkong to Hongkong is outside China, which can be regarded as the “third place”, but it needs to be confirmed by ticket / ship ticket / air ticket
- On site Q & A and hesitation → prepare the hotel address, return time and travel purpose in advance
Does the Transit Visa Free Policy Conflict With the 30 Day Visa Free Policy in Hainan and the Visa Free Policy in Hong Kong and Macao?
There is no conflict. Hainan 30 days visa free is only applicable to 59 countries direct flights to Hainan; The Hong Kong and Macao groups need 2 or more people and are led by the Hong Kong and Macao travel agency. The 240hour transit visa-free policy is for individuals who must “transit from the mainland” and not the original way back to their country of origin. Three sets of policies can exist at the same time, but you can only choose one channel to enter the country, not overlay.
Can You Walk 240 Hours to Work, Study and Interview?
No way. The State Administration of Immigration has made it clear that the corresponding visas for work, study, news interview, etc. still need to be completed in advance. If it is found that it carries a large number of shooting equipment and public interviews, it may be disqualified and listed in bad records.
References
- Liu, Y., & Zhang, M. (2024). Transit visa liberalization as a soft power tool: China’s 240hour experiment. Journal of China Tourism Research, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 221-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388160.2024.2212240
- National Immigration Administration. (2,025). Transit visa free policy. http://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741577/c1731205/content.html
