China Visa-Free Entry in 2026: 30 Days or 240-Hour Transit?

The traveller’s exact question

A first-time visitor needs one answer before booking: which policy fits the travel document, nationality, purpose and actual ticketed route? Check all four—nationality alone is not enough.

I’m from the UK — can I fly to Shanghai and return without a visa?

I’m flying New York → Beijing → Bangkok. Does the 240-hour policy fit?

I’m Australian and want 12 days in China. Is 30-day entry available?

My ticket begins in Germany and ends in Australia, but Singapore sits on both sides of China. Does that fail?

Choose the policy before testing the route

DEFAULT WHEN AVAILABLE

30-day unilateral entry

No third-country route required

Ordinary passport from the current 50-country list
Business, tourism, family or friend visits, exchanges or transit
Up to 30 days through any open port
Stay starts at 00:00 on the day after entry

ROUTE-DEPENDENT

240-hour visa-free transit

A → mainland China → B, with A different from B

Nationality from the current 57-country list
Ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months
Confirmed onward interline ticket with a confirmed date, seat and itinerary, to a third country or region within 240 hours
Meet the entry conditions of that third country or region
Enter through one of 65 designated ports and remain inside the permitted area

Decision shortcut: if the 30-day policy fits, it is usually the simpler basis because it has no A/B route condition. If the passport is only on the transit list—for example, the United States—the exact route decides the result.

Run the four-fact filter

Run these four checks before buying a non-refundable ticket.
Fact	30-day entry	240-hour transit
Travel document	Ordinary passport	Ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months
Nationality	Current 50-country list	Current 57-country list
Purpose	Business, tourism, visits, exchanges or transit	Same allowed purposes; work, study and news reporting excluded
Route	No A/B route condition	Read the countries or regions immediately before and after mainland China; A must differ from B

50-country list · 30 daysOrdinary passports · Russia through 31 Dec 2027 · other 48 time-limited countries through 31 Dec 2026 · Brunei has no expiry date

Europe (35): Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand
Asia (7): Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Americas (6): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, Uruguay

57-country list · 240 hoursTransit nationalities · current NIA policy page

Europe (40): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway
Americas (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand
Asia (9): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam

Read A and B from the stops touching mainland China

…A→MAINLAND CHINA→B…

The route test reads the stops adjacent to mainland China, not the ticket’s first origin and final destination.
Route condition	Result
A ≠ B, both outside mainland China	Qualifies if the passport, port, duration, proof and stay-area conditions also pass
A = B on both sides of mainland China	Does not qualify: this is a return trip, not transit to a third country or region
A or B is Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan	Counts as a separate region: USA → mainland China → Hong Kong can pass; Hong Kong → mainland China → Hong Kong fails
Extra international connection	Use the country immediately before China as A and the country immediately after China as B
Separate PNRs or a self-transfer	UNCERTAIN · stop before paying. The public rule does not establish that a carrier will accept this ticket or proof combination at check-in; obtain written carrier confirmation or use one confirmed itinerary or a visa

Judge the actual ticketed sequence, not the traveller’s stated intention.
Domestic connections inside mainland China do not change A or B.
An international connection outside mainland China can change A or B. Read the two stops touching the mainland segment.
You must meet the third country or region’s entry conditions for destination B. This page makes that a stop line but does not decide another country or region’s visa law for you.
Do not treat separate PNRs or a self-transfer as automatically accepted proof. If the operating carrier will not confirm the complete combination in writing, use one confirmed itinerary or a visa.
A separate 24-hour transit rule normally keeps the traveller inside the restricted port area. Leaving requires a temporary entry permit; do not use it as a sightseeing plan.

DEADLINE CALCULATION

30-day example: enter 10 June at 22:00 → day 1 starts 11 June at 00:00 → leave by the end of 10 July.

240-hour example: the official period starts at 00:00 on the day after entry. Keep the planned departure within 240 hours from that start and no more than 10 days of stay.

Six complete worked cases

These route examples apply the linked official rules. Key guidance checked on 2 September 2026. The carrier checks boarding documents and border inspection decides admission from the actual case.

ELIGIBLE

Australian tourism return trip

Sydney → Beijing → Shanghai → Sydney

Use 30-day unilateral entry. The return route does not matter because this policy has no third-country condition.

Traveller: Sarah, fictional, 34 · Australian ordinary passport
Purpose: Tourism: Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai
Dates: Enter 10 June 2026 at 22:00 · depart 22 June · 12 days
Port: Beijing Capital (PEK); any open port can be used under this policy
Why it passes: Listed ordinary passport + tourism + 12 days within the 30-day limit
Carry: Passport, return itinerary and accommodation confirmations
Next: Complete the arrival workflow, register accommodation and leave before the deadline

Decision recordPolicy: 30-day unilateral entry · Stay: up to 30 days · Route test: not required · Remaining uncertainty: the border officer may ask for accommodation evidence.

ELIGIBLE

US to Thailand through Shanghai

New York → Shanghai → Bangkok

Use 240-hour transit. A is the USA and B is Thailand, so the two sides of mainland China are different.

Traveller: Mike, fictional, 41 · US ordinary passport
Purpose: Tourism stopover in Shanghai
Dates: Enter 1 September 2026 at 14:00 · depart 5 September at 09:00 · 4 days
Port: Shanghai Pudong (PVG), a designated port
Why it passes: A=USA, B=Thailand, A≠B · confirmed onward travel · within 240 hours
Carry: Ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months, confirmed onward interline ticket with confirmed date, seat and itinerary, hotel booking, and proof that Thailand’s entry conditions are met
Next: Check Shanghai’s permitted stay area, then prepare the arrival card and accommodation registration

Decision recordPolicy: 240-hour transit · Stay: up to 10 days · Important boundary: confirm separately that you meet Thailand’s current entry requirements.

NOT ELIGIBLE

US same-country return

Los Angeles → Beijing → Los Angeles

The 240-hour route fails because A and B are both the USA. The traveller is returning, not transiting to a third country or region.

Traveller: Emily, fictional, 29 · US ordinary passport
Purpose: Short business meetings in Beijing
Dates: Enter 2 October 2026 · depart 6 October · planned 4 days
Port: Beijing Capital (PEK), but a valid port cannot rescue a failed route
Why it fails: A=USA and B=USA
Required route: Apply for the appropriate business visa before travel, or restructure the itinerary so B differs from A
Do not: Board hoping that any stay under 10 days counts as transit

Decision recordPolicy: neither policy fits this exact US return trip · Lawful transit stay: none · Next: visa application or a genuinely different onward destination.

ELIGIBLE

Exit from Beijing to Hong Kong

London → Beijing → Hong Kong

The route can use 240-hour transit because Hong Kong counts as a different region. A UK ordinary-passport holder could also use the 30-day policy.

Traveller: James, fictional, 37 · UK ordinary passport
Purpose: Tourism: Beijing, then Hong Kong
Dates: Enter 15 March 2026 at 16:00 · depart 20 March at 11:00 · 5 days
Port: Beijing Capital (PEK), designated
Why it passes: A=UK, B=Hong Kong, A≠B · 5 days within the limit
Carry: Ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months, confirmed onward interline ticket with confirmed date, seat and itinerary for the Hong Kong leg, and hotel confirmations
Choice: Either policy can fit; 30-day entry is simpler because it removes the route condition

Decision recordPolicy: 30-day entry or 240-hour transit · Stay under transit: up to 10 days · Next: verify PEK’s permitted area if choosing transit.

ELIGIBLE

Complex route: read the adjacent stops

Berlin → Seoul → Guangzhou → Singapore

A is South Korea—not Germany—because Seoul is immediately before mainland China. B is Singapore. A and B differ, so the route test passes.

Traveller: Lena, fictional, 45 · German ordinary passport
Purpose: Tourism stopover in Guangzhou
Dates: Enter 8 November 2026 at 13:00 · depart 11 November at 08:00 · 67 hours
Port: Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), designated
Why it passes: A=South Korea and B=Singapore · confirmed through-ticket with date and seat · within 240 hours
Carry: Passport valid for at least 3 months, full confirmed itinerary, proof that Singapore’s entry conditions are met, and Guangzhou hotel booking
Boundary: South Korea’s own transit rules remain a separate question

Decision recordPolicy: 240-hour transit · Algorithm: use the countries adjacent to mainland China, never the ticket’s first departure and final arrival.

ELIGIBLE

Complex route with Singapore on both sides

Berlin → Singapore → Guangzhou → Singapore → Sydney

Use 30-day unilateral entry if the ordinary passport is valid throughout this tourism stay. The 240-hour route fails because the adjacent countries are both Singapore, but the 30-day policy has no third-country condition.

Traveller: Daniel, fictional, 38 · German ordinary passport
Purpose: Tourism stopover in Guangzhou
Dates: Planned entry 1 December 2026 · onward 5 December · planned 4 days
Port: Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), an open port for 30-day entry
30-day entry: German ordinary passport + tourism + 4 days within the 30-day limit; Germany's policy remains in effect through 31 December 2026
240-hour transit: Fails: A=Singapore and B=Singapore, both adjacent to mainland China
Carry: Ordinary passport valid throughout the intended stay; keep itinerary and accommodation evidence ready as preparation
Next: Use 30-day entry for the unchanged itinerary; confirm passport validity and prepare the arrival workflow, keeping purpose and dates within that policy
Do not: Use Germany and Australia as A and B; those are not the adjacent stops

Decision recordPolicy: 30-day unilateral entry · 240-hour transit: not eligible (A=B) · Next: retain this itinerary if the 30-day conditions remain met · Boundary: the carrier checks travel documents before boarding and border inspection decides admission from the actual case.

Do these actions in order

01
Run the four-fact filter and, for 240-hour transit, the A/B route test before booking.
02
For 240-hour transit, have the confirmed onward interline ticket to a third country or region; it must show a confirmed date, seat and itinerary departing within 240 hours. Preparation advice: keep a copy offline.
03
For 240-hour transit, confirm the exact arrival port and permitted stay area; every hotel and domestic side trip must stay inside it.
04
For 240-hour transit, prepare the ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months, onward proof and proof that destination B’s entry conditions are met. As preparation advice, keep accommodation confirmations ready.
05
Optionally complete the free official arrival card before travel, or use the official port alternatives.
06
Register accommodation: hotels normally handle it; non-hotel stays require local public-security registration within 24 hours.
07
Preparation advice: save the official NIA pages on your phone. For 240-hour transit, explain the route as ‘A to B via mainland China’ if asked.
08
Track the deadline from 00:00 on the day after entry and retain the entry and exit record after travel.

Failure recovery

A different document or alternative onward proof is proposed

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.

The official NIA page will not open

Use the official pages saved offline and contact NIA 12367. Never enter passport data on a lookalike or paid arrival-card site. If you are outside China with a non-urgent pre-travel question, use the published written enquiry below. For an urgent case at the port or a stay deadline inside China, contact the responsible border-inspection or local exit-entry authority directly; do not wait for email.

Outside China before travel: prepare a 12367 enquiry and no-response fallback →

240-hour transit: the route or port fails

Change the onward country or region so B differs from A, change to a designated port, or apply for the correct visa. Re-run the test before accepting a rebooking.

The flight changes before entry

Test the actual rebooked sequence. If it now places the same country or region on both sides of mainland China, do not enter under the transit policy.

A force-majeure delay happens after entry

Before the stay limit expires, contact 12367 and the local exit-entry administration of the public security organ, then apply for the appropriate stay document. Keep disruption evidence and the application record.

240-hour transit: the airline disputes eligibility

Show the ordinary passport, confirmed onward interline ticket, destination-entry evidence and current official NIA page. For separate PNRs or a self-transfer, an unconfirmed carrier answer is UNCERTAIN: stop and use one confirmed itinerary or a visa. Border officers make the final admission decision.

At the airline counter: request document-check escalation and confirm the onward plan →

An online form fails

Use the official port QR, devices or paper arrival card. Hotels handle accommodation registration; a non-hotel stay can be registered with the local public security organ.

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.
30-day entry: ordinary passport valid for the intended stay confirmed; 240-hour transit: ordinary passport valid for at least 3 months confirmed
Nationality checked against the selected policy: the current 50-country list for 30-day entry or 57-country list for 240-hour transit
Purpose is business, tourism, visits, exchanges or transit—not work, study or news reporting
For 240-hour transit: route written using the countries or regions immediately before and after mainland China, with A different from B
For 240-hour transit: every international connection in the actual ticketed journey checked
For 240-hour transit: arrival port appears in the current 65-port appendix
For 240-hour transit: hotels and side trips remain inside the permitted stay area
For 240-hour transit: confirmed onward interline ticket with a confirmed date, seat and itinerary to a third country or region within 240 hours ready
For 240-hour transit: the traveller meets onward destination B’s entry conditions
For 240-hour transit, our pre-payment stop line (editorial advice, not a statutory condition): obtain written operating-carrier confirmation for separate PNRs or a self-transfer; otherwise stop and use one confirmed itinerary or a visa
Preparation advice: keep accommodation confirmations as supporting evidence of the travel purpose; registration plan ready
Preparation advice: save official NIA pages and copies of relevant travel evidence offline; offline saving is not an eligibility condition
Arrival card submitted through the free official channel or planned at the port
Stay deadline counted from 00:00 on the day after entry
Our pre-payment stop line: complete the selected policy’s checks before accepting a non-refundable booking; the A/B route test applies to 240-hour transit

Choose the next check for your trip

PATH A30-day entry fits

Prepare the arrival card and customs steps, then plan the mainland itinerary.

Open next page →PATH B240-hour transit fits

Confirm the exact designated port and permitted stay area before paying.

Open next page →PATH CNeither of these two policies fits

Check mutual visa-exemption agreements and regional policies against your passport and route. If no visa-free basis applies, use the responsible visa-application route.

Open next page →

We count only which path was opened, in daily totals. No nationality, passport, route or device identifier is stored.

Common questions

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

Does USA → China → USA qualify for 240-hour transit?

No. The route returns to the same country, so it does not satisfy the third-country or region condition.

Can Hong Kong be the third region?

Yes, when the actual route is, for example, United States → mainland China → Hong Kong. Check every connection in the ticketed journey.

Is admission guaranteed if my route looks eligible?

No. The immigration authority makes the decision at the port using the actual documents and travel history.

When does the visa-free stay start?

For both policies on the official pages reviewed here, the stay is calculated from 00:00 on the day after entry. Entering late at night does not make the arrival hour the start point.

What if the itinerary changes or the flight is delayed?

Before entry, run the route test again using the actual rebooked sequence. After entry, if force majeure threatens the deadline, contact 12367 and the local exit-entry administration before the stay limit expires and apply for the appropriate stay document.

Does the 30-day policy require an onward ticket to a third country?

No. The A → mainland China → B condition belongs to 240-hour transit. Officers can still ask for itinerary and accommodation evidence during the admission check.

Can I work or study during visa-free entry?

No. Activities that require prior approval still require the appropriate visa or permission. A mixed tourism and paid-work purpose needs case-specific confirmation before travel.

When does the 30-day policy expire?

The current MFA FAQ says Russia remains covered through 31 December 2027, the other 48 time-limited countries through 31 December 2026, and Brunei has no expiry date. Recheck the official FAQ shortly before flying because these dates can change.

What can reverse this answer

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.
These six examples apply official rules to the stated routes; the actual documents, carrier check and border decision still control travel.
Current MFA dates: Russia through 31 December 2027; the other 48 time-limited countries through 31 December 2026; Brunei has no expiry date. Recheck before flying.
Airline check-in behaviour varies. The immigration authority decides admission for the actual journey.
The public rule does not establish that every carrier will accept separate PNRs or a self-transfer as sufficient onward proof; written carrier confirmation is a pre-payment stop line, not an eligibility guarantee.
A changed country list, port appendix, permitted area, ticketed sequence or travel purpose can reverse the answer.

Last checked

2 September 2026

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

Sources checked 2 September 2026.

Unilateral visa exemption list, 17 February 2026National Immigration Administration ↗Current unilateral visa-waiver expiry datesMinistry of Foreign Affairs ↗Current 57-country 240-hour transit policy list, refreshed 20 August 2026National Immigration Administration ↗NIA Announcement No. 4 [2026]: Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added under the current ordinary-passport ruleNational Immigration Administration ↗November 2025 announcement — three-month validity and five-port details; broader document/proof alternatives were scoped to the former 55-country listNational Immigration Administration ↗Official guide confirming Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as third regionsMinistry of Commerce ↗