China is now welcoming foreign tourists with its 240-hour visa-free transit stay. See the guidance that answers your confusions about an application of the visa exemption in China with downloadable files regarding the list of avaible ports!
You have probably heard that travelling to China can never be easier than ever before! Since December 17, 2024, the transit visa exemption policies have been updated. When visiting a third country or region, foreign nationals from 54 countries can apply for a 240-hour visa-free stay at 60 airports and seaports spread throughout 24 provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities in China.
Although the 72-hour or 144-hour transit visa-free policies have been implemented during the past years, the recent policy updates further broaden the area where foreigners can stay and walk around by allowing them to take cross-regional travels. Instead of remaining in the same province where they entered China, foreign nationals can now move freely within the designated 24 areas without any restrictions.
In this blog post, Hongda will provide detailed guidance to the common questions about China’s 240-hour transit visa exemption. Read more for everything you should know about this visa-free travelling guidance in one single blog!
Question 1: Which countries are eligible for the 240-hour transit visa-free application?
As of now, foreigners from a total of 54 countries are eligible for the 240-hour transit visa exemption. These countries include:
- The Europe Schengen area (25 countries): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
- Other countries in Europe (15 counties): Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, and Belarus.
- The Americas (6 countries): the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile.
- Oceania (2 countries): Australia and New Zealand.
- Asia (6 countries): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
It is worth noting that among the listed countries, many have already been included in mutual visa exemption agreements or unilateral visa exemption policies with China. If you hold a passport from one of these countries, you can directly receive a 30-day visa-free entry upon arriving in China.
Question 2: Where can I apply for the 240-hour visa-free stay in China?
There are 60 airports and seaports across 24 provinces where you enter China with the visa exemption. You need to double check the detailed locations and the allowed travelling areas in each province. At this time, you cannot enter any of the other ports that are not on the list with this 240-hour visa-free policy. Make sure you book the tickets to the right locations!
You are welcome to download the comprehensive transit visa exemption port information table. Download the list of ports for 240-hour visa exemption application.
Source: as shown on the image
Question 3: What activities can I engage in during the 240-hour visa-free stay?
During your trip, you can take part in tourism, business visits, business exchanges, and visiting friends or family. On the other hand, you are prohibited from paid working, attending school, or news reporting. You must apply for the appropriate kind of visa before entering China if you will partake in these activities.
Question 4: I meet the requirements for the 240-hour transit visa exemption. How should I apply for it?
If you wish to apply for the 240-hour transit visa exemption, you must first meet the following three basic requirements:
- Hold a valid entry/exit passport from an approved country.
- A confirmed onward ticket with a fixed date and seat to a third country or region (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) within 240 hours.
- Complete the foreigner entry information card.
Upon arrival, you need to submit the documents to the immigration office at China's customs and declare your intention to apply to the customs officer for successful processing.
Question 5: Can I purchase an outbound ticket to a third country or region after applying for this 240-hour transit visa exemption and entering China?
No, you can’t. For a successful application of the visa-free stay, you MUST present a confirmed onward ticket with a fixed date and seat to a third country or region within 240 hours when you submit an application at China’s customs.
Question 6: Can I apply for the transit visa exemption to enter China if I have a return ticket to the country I departed from?
No, you cannot. The transit visa exemption is only applicable to foreigners traveling to a THIRD country or region. In other words, your country of departure and your final destination must not be the same. Let’s take the following journeys as examples.
- Journey 1: the US – Shenzhen – the US (NOT eligible)
- Journey 2: the US – Shanghai – Singapore (Eligible)
- Journey 3: the US – Beijing – Hong Kong (Eligible)
- Journey 4: the US – Singapore – Guangzhou – the US (Eligible)
Question 7: What should I do if I cannot leave within 240 hours due to unforeseen special circumstances?
In the event of unavoidable reasons requiring a stay beyond 240 hours in the visa-free area, you need to apply for a stay permit with the Public Security Bureau’s Entry and Exit Administration accordingly.
Question 8: How is the 240-hour transit visa exemption period calculated?
The 240-hour period starts at 00:00 on the day following your entry into China. For example, if you enter Shanghai at 7:00 on January 3rd, your 240-hour stay begins at 00:00 on January 4th, and you must leave China before 23:59 on January 13th.
Calculation of 240-hour visa-free stay period
Question 9: If I enter through Shanghai, apply for the 240-hour transit visa exemption, and travel to Beijing by train before leaving from Beijing, is that allowed? What if I want to travel to Qinghai Province?
Yes, it is allowed. Both Shanghai and Beijing are included in the "Permitted Stay Areas" list, so you can arrange your trip this way. However, you cannot make your trip to Qinghai Province as it is not listed in the ‘permitted stat areas’ list.