The traveller’s exact question

Is my exact arrival terminal one of the 65 designated ports, and once I enter, where am I actually allowed to travel?

Two independent checks decide the answer: the exact arrival port must be listed, and every planned stop must remain inside a permitted travel area.

THE HIDDEN SECOND TEST

Six areas are narrower than the province; Guangdong has a separate exit note

Official footnote过境免签人员可在24个省（区、市）允许停留活动区域内跨省域停留240小时Visa-free transit travellers may stay across provinces within the permitted travel areas of the 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, for up to 240 hours.

ShanxiTaiyuan and Datong only

Pingyao is in Jinzhong, so it is outside.

HeilongjiangHarbin only

Other Heilongjiang cities are outside.

JiangxiNanchang and Jingdezhen only

Other Jiangxi cities are outside.

Guangxi12 named cities

Yangshuo is inside because it is administered by Guilin.

Sichuan11 named cities

Jiuzhaigou sits in Aba Prefecture, which is not among the 11 listed cities.

Yunnan9 named cities or prefectures

Shangri-La sits in Diqing Prefecture, which is outside.

GuangdongWhole province; exit from any open port in Guangdong is expressly allowed

This exit wording must not be extended to other areas.

The 65 designated ports and permitted travel areas

Read the port and permitted-area columns together. English names are planning translations; keep the Chinese original for terminal-name matching.

Current NIA appendix, checked 2 September 2026. Rows 44–48 were added on 5 November 2025.
#AreaEntry portChinese originalPermitted travel area
1BeijingBeijing Capital International Airport北京首都国际机场口岸Beijing Municipality
2BeijingBeijing Daxing International Airport北京大兴国际机场口岸Beijing Municipality
3TianjinTianjin Binhai International Airport天津滨海国际机场口岸Tianjin Municipality
4TianjinTianjin Seaport (passenger)天津海港口岸（客运）Tianjin Municipality
5HebeiShijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport石家庄正定国际机场口岸Hebei Province
6HebeiQinhuangdao Seaport (passenger)秦皇岛海港口岸（客运）Hebei Province
7LiaoningShenyang Taoxian International Airport沈阳桃仙国际机场口岸Liaoning Province
8LiaoningDalian Zhoushuizi International Airport大连周水子国际机场口岸Liaoning Province
9LiaoningDalian Seaport (passenger)大连海港口岸（客运）Liaoning Province
10ShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International Airport上海虹桥国际机场口岸Shanghai Municipality
11ShanghaiShanghai Pudong International Airport上海浦东国际机场口岸Shanghai Municipality
12ShanghaiShanghai Seaport (passenger)上海海港口岸（客运）Shanghai Municipality
13JiangsuNanjing Lukou International Airport南京禄口国际机场口岸Jiangsu Province
14JiangsuSunan Shuofang International Airport (Wuxi)苏南硕放国际机场口岸Jiangsu Province
15JiangsuYangzhou Taizhou International Airport扬州泰州国际机场口岸Jiangsu Province
16JiangsuLianyungang Seaport (passenger)连云港海港口岸（客运）Jiangsu Province
17ZhejiangHangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport杭州萧山国际机场口岸Zhejiang Province
18ZhejiangNingbo Lishe International Airport宁波栎社国际机场口岸Zhejiang Province
19ZhejiangWenzhou Longwan International Airport温州龙湾国际机场口岸Zhejiang Province
20ZhejiangYiwu Airport义乌机场口岸Zhejiang Province
21ZhejiangWenzhou Port (passenger)温州港口岸（客运）Zhejiang Province
22ZhejiangZhoushan Port (passenger)舟山港口岸（客运）Zhejiang Province
23AnhuiHefei Xinqiao International Airport合肥新桥国际机场口岸Anhui Province
24AnhuiHuangshan Tunxi International Airport黄山屯溪国际机场口岸Anhui Province
25FujianFuzhou Changle International Airport福州长乐国际机场口岸Fujian Province
26FujianXiamen Gaoqi International Airport厦门高崎国际机场口岸Fujian Province
27FujianQuanzhou Jinjiang International Airport泉州晋江国际机场口岸Fujian Province
28FujianWuyishan Airport武夷山机场口岸Fujian Province
29FujianXiamen Seaport (passenger)厦门海港口岸（客运）Fujian Province
30ShandongJinan Yaoqiang International Airport济南遥墙国际机场口岸Shandong Province
31ShandongQingdao Jiaodong International Airport青岛胶东国际机场口岸Shandong Province
32ShandongYantai Penglai International Airport烟台蓬莱国际机场口岸Shandong Province
33ShandongWeihai Dashuibo International Airport威海大水泊国际机场口岸Shandong Province
34ShandongQingdao Seaport (passenger)青岛海港口岸（客运）Shandong Province
35HenanZhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport郑州新郑国际机场口岸Henan Province
36HubeiWuhan Tianhe International Airport武汉天河国际机场口岸Hubei Province
37HunanChangsha Huanghua International Airport长沙黄花国际机场口岸Hunan Province
38HunanZhangjiajie Hehua International Airport张家界荷花国际机场口岸Hunan Province
39GuangdongGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport广州白云国际机场口岸Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
40GuangdongShenzhen Bao'an International Airport深圳宝安国际机场口岸Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
41GuangdongJieyang Chaoshan International Airport揭阳潮汕国际机场口岸Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
42GuangdongNansha Port (passenger)南沙港口岸（客运）Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
43GuangdongShekou Port (passenger)蛇口港口岸（客运）Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
44GuangdongGuangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal ADDED 2025广州港口岸琶洲港澳客运码头Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
45GuangdongZhongshan Port (Passenger) ADDED 2025中山港口岸中山港区客运码头Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
46GuangdongHengqin Port ADDED 2025横琴口岸Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
47GuangdongHong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port ADDED 2025港珠澳大桥珠海公路口岸Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
48GuangdongWest Kowloon Station Port, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link ADDED 2025广深港高铁西九龙站口岸Guangdong Province — exit from any open port in the province
49HainanHaikou Meilan International Airport海口美兰国际机场口岸Hainan Province
50HainanSanya Phoenix International Airport三亚凤凰国际机场口岸Hainan Province
51ChongqingChongqing Jiangbei International Airport重庆江北国际机场口岸Chongqing Municipality
52GuizhouGuiyang Longdongbao International Airport贵阳龙洞堡国际机场口岸Guizhou Province
53ShaanxiXi'an Xianyang International Airport西安咸阳国际机场口岸Shaanxi Province
54ShanxiTaiyuan Wusu International Airport太原武宿国际机场口岸Taiyuan and Datong only
55HeilongjiangHarbin Taiping International Airport哈尔滨太平国际机场口岸Harbin only
56JiangxiNanchang Changbei International Airport南昌昌北国际机场口岸Nanchang and Jingdezhen only
57GuangxiNanning Wuxu International Airport南宁吴圩国际机场口岸12 cities only: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, Laibin
58GuangxiGuilin Liangjiang International Airport桂林两江国际机场口岸Same 12 cities
59GuangxiBeihai Fucheng Airport北海福成机场口岸Same 12 cities
60GuangxiBeihai Seaport (passenger)北海海港口岸（客运）Same 12 cities
61SichuanChengdu Shuangliu International Airport成都双流国际机场口岸11 cities only: Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya'an, Meishan, Ziyang
62SichuanChengdu Tianfu International Airport成都天府国际机场口岸Same 11 cities
63YunnanKunming Changshui International Airport昆明长水国际机场口岸9 cities/prefectures only: Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang
64YunnanLijiang Sanyi International Airport丽江三义国际机场口岸Same 9 cities/prefectures
65YunnanMohan Railway Port磨憨铁路口岸Same 9 cities/prefectures

Editorial type count: airports 47 · seaports and passenger ferry terminals 14 · rail ports 2 · road port 1 · land port 1. The NIA table itself does not classify ports this way.

Run both columns before you book

A port is not a province. Passing one column is not passing the policy.

01

Is the exact terminal, ferry pier, rail station or road crossing named?

Find the precise port row and compare the Chinese name if the English varies.

02

Is every overnight and sightseeing stop inside a permitted area?

Read the final column. A listed port does not open the whole province.

03

Does every province on a multi-province trip separately pass?

Cross-province travel is allowed only inside the listed permitted areas.

04

Where can you exit?

Guangdong states its rule expressly. Outside Guangdong, do not assume a broader exit rule.

Six worked cases

These are editorial route evaluations, not field tests or admission guarantees.

01
DEFAULT

Shanghai in, multi-city, Shanghai out

Conditions
German passport · London → Shanghai Pudong → Tokyo · 8 days · Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou
Test
Pudong is #11. Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang are all permitted, and the official footnote allows movement across permitted areas.
Result
Works. The traveller is not confined to Shanghai.
02
EDGE

Shanghai connection, then Xiamen

Conditions
London → Shanghai → Xiamen · 2 days · onward to South Korea
Test
Shanghai is the first mainland entry port; Xiamen is inside the whole-Fujian permitted area. Both areas appear in the appendix.
Result
The area rule permits the route.
Next move
The official materials do not separately settle transport mode between permitted areas. Carry the onward ticket and accommodation details; the border officer decides the actual case.
03
FAILURE

Chengdu in, Jiuzhaigou planned

Conditions
US passport · Singapore → Chengdu Tianfu → Seoul
Test
Tianfu is #62, but Jiuzhaigou sits in Aba Prefecture, outside Sichuan's 11 named cities.
Result
Fails on the permitted-area test.
Next move
Keep the trip inside the list: Chengdu, Leshan and Ya'an all pass.
04
FAILURE

Kunming in, Shangri-La planned

Conditions
Australian passport · Bangkok → Kunming → Hong Kong · Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La
Test
Kunming, Dali and Lijiang pass. Shangri-La is in Diqing Prefecture, which is not among Yunnan's nine listed areas.
Result
Three stops pass; Shangri-La fails.
Next move
End the trip at Lijiang.
05
REVERSAL

Taiyuan in, Pingyao planned

Conditions
UK passport · Seoul → Taiyuan Wusu → Osaka
Test
Taiyuan Wusu is #54. Shanxi permits Taiyuan and Datong only; Pingyao is administered by Jinzhong.
Result
Pingyao fails.
Next move
Switch to Datong, which is permitted.
06
EDGE

Arriving by rail, not by air

Conditions
French passport · Hong Kong → West Kowloon Station → mainland → Bangkok
Test
West Kowloon Station is #48 and was added on 5 November 2025. Guangdong permits the whole province.
Result
Works on the port-and-area test.
Next move
The appendix expressly allows exit from any open port in Guangdong; do not extend that wording elsewhere.

Failure recovery

R1

Destination outside the permitted area

Trigger
A planned city is not in the final column.
First action
Choose a destination inside the permitted areas listed in the applicable policy.
Alternative
Use a different valid entry basis that permits the intended destination. Changing the arrival port does not add an unlisted destination to the 240-hour permitted areas.
Escalation
If the destination is non-negotiable, use 30-day unilateral entry when eligible or apply for a visa.
R2

Exact terminal missing

Trigger
The airport, pier or station does not appear in the table.
First action
Compare the precise terminal name with the Chinese original.
Alternative
Rebook to a listed port in the same region.
Escalation
Treat 240-hour transit as unavailable for that arrival if it is genuinely unlisted.
R3

Schedule changes the first mainland port

Trigger
A rebooking moves the first mainland arrival to another city.
First action
Run the port and area tests again before flying.
Alternative
Ask the airline to reroute through a listed port.
Escalation
Call 12367 for policy consultation and routing to the responsible immigration authority; it is not an approval desk.
R4

Transit basis refused at the border

Trigger
The officer does not accept the 240-hour basis.
First action
Ask which condition is missing: passport type, onward proof, timing or route.
Alternative
If the actual connection is within 24 hours, ask whether the separate 24-hour direct-transit rule applies.
Escalation
Contact the airline for rebooking and your embassy if you are detained.

What the official materials do not settle

  • The official materials define where travellers may stay, but do not separately state whether a domestic flight or train between permitted areas needs another step.
  • They do not explain whether landing at an unlisted port and connecting domestically to a listed one can qualify.
  • Outside Guangdong, the appendix does not expressly state a general exit-from-any-open-port rule.
  • The 24-hour rule says to apply for a temporary entry permit at border inspection, but does not publish a universal document checklist or approval guarantee.

What can reverse this answer

  • The port count changes from 65 or the official appendix is replaced.
  • A permitted area is widened or narrowed.
  • The traveller's nationality is no longer on the 57-country list.
  • The actual route no longer goes from A through mainland China to a different B.
  • The first mainland arrival port changes after rebooking.
  • The nationality list comes from a source published before 20 August 2026.
  • The port list comes from a source published before 5 November 2025.
CHECK BEFORE YOU RELY ON THIS

Your entry check

  • Other travel documents or alternative onward proof are not confirmed here for all 57 nationalities. The November 2025 notice covered 55 countries; do not extend its exceptions to Kyrgyzstan or Vietnam. Ask NIA 12367 or the intended entry port to confirm your actual nationality, document and proof before paying. An unresolved case is not permission to travel or a blanket ban on every non-ordinary document.
  • Exact terminal matched to one of the 65 rows
  • Every overnight and sightseeing stop matched to a permitted area
  • An ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months and a nationality on the current 57-country list
  • A → mainland China → different B route passes
  • A confirmed onward interline ticket with a confirmed date, seat and itinerary departing within 240 hours is saved
  • The traveller meets onward destination B’s entry conditions
  • Separate-PNR or self-transfer acceptance is confirmed in writing by the operating carrier; otherwise the result is UNCERTAIN and the traveller stops before paying
  • Arrival card and accommodation details are ready

Common questions

Can I use another travel document or alternative onward proof for 240-hour transit?

Other travel documents or alternative onward proof are not confirmed here for all 57 nationalities. The November 2025 notice covered 55 countries; do not extend its exceptions to Kyrgyzstan or Vietnam. Ask NIA 12367 or the intended entry port to confirm your actual nationality, document and proof before paying. An unresolved case is not permission to travel or a blanket ban on every non-ordinary document.

Can I enter at any airport in an eligible province?

No. The exact port must appear in the 65-row table, and every planned destination must also fit the permitted-area column.

Can I travel across provinces during the 240 hours?

Yes. The official appendix expressly allows movement across the permitted areas of the 24 province-level areas. Every stop must still remain inside a listed permitted area.

Can I go from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou?

Not on this basis. Sichuan's permitted area is limited to 11 named cities, and Jiuzhaigou is in Aba Prefecture.

Is 24-hour transit the same policy?

No. The worldwide 24-hour direct-transit rule normally keeps the traveller in the restricted port area; leaving requires a temporary entry permit.

Do I have to exit from the port I entered?

The appendix expressly allows exit from any open port in Guangdong. It does not publish the same broad wording for the other areas, so do not assume it without confirmation.

Last checked

We checked the claims displayed on this page against the linked official sources. Recheck sooner if a country list, threshold or filing channel changes.

Official sources

Rules change. Open the authority when your booking depends on a current decision.

Current 57-country 240-hour transit policy overviewNational Immigration Administration ↗NIA Announcement No. 4 [2026] adding Kyrgyzstan and VietnamNational Immigration Administration ↗Official 65-port and permitted-area appendixNational Immigration Administration ↗November 2025 announcement, items V and VI — three-month validity and five-port details; broader document/proof alternatives were scoped to the former 55-country listNational Immigration Administration ↗12367 policy consultation and routing scopeNational Immigration Administration ↗Jiuzhaigou County within Aba PrefectureAba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture Government ↗Shangri-La City within Diqing PrefectureYunnan Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission ↗Guilin City government request covering its Yangshuo County projectPeople's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region ↗Current Shanxi administrative divisions: Pingyao County within Jinzhong CityPeople's Government of Shanxi Province ↗