Overview

China’s 240-hour transit visa exemption (commonly called “10-day TWOV”) allows travelers from 55 eligible countries to transit through China without a visa for up to 10 days when traveling to a third country.

:::info December 2024 Update: China extended the transit visa-free policy from 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days) and expanded from 60 to 65 ports across 24 provinces. :::

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Countries (55 Total)

Americas (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile

Europe (40): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia

Asia (7): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia

Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand

Key Conditions

  1. Must be in transit to a third country (not your country of origin)
  2. Stay cannot exceed 240 hours (10 days)
  3. Must enter through designated ports
  4. Must have confirmed onward ticket to third country
  5. Travel within permitted areas only (cannot leave the designated zone)

Designated Ports and Regions (65 Ports in 24 Provinces)

Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

Entry Points: Beijing Capital (PEK), Beijing Daxing (PKX), Tianjin Binhai, Tianjin Cruise Port, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao Port Permitted Area: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei Province

Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Region

Entry Points: Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA), Shanghai Port, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Ningbo, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Yiwu, Yangzhou, Su’nan Shuofang Permitted Area: Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province

Guangdong Province

Entry Points: Guangzhou (CAN), Shenzhen (SZX), Jieyang, Nansha Port, Shekou Port Permitted Area: Entire Guangdong Province

Other Designated Regions (24 Provinces Total)

Province/RegionEntry Points
ShandongQingdao, Jinan, Yantai, Weihai
SichuanChengdu Shuangliu, Chengdu Tianfu
ShaanxiXi’an Xianyang
YunnanKunming, Lijiang
HunanChangsha, Zhangjiajie
HubeiWuhan
ChongqingChongqing Jiangbei
FujianXiamen, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Wuyishan
AnhuiHefei, Huangshan
ShanxiTaiyuan
JiangxiNanchang
GuangxiGuilin, Beihai, Nanning
HainanHaikou, Sanya
GuizhouGuiyang
LiaoningDalian, Shenyang
HeilongjiangHarbin

How It Works

Step 1: Prepare Documentation

Step 2: Arrival at Designated Port

Present your documents at the dedicated transit immigration counter.

Step 3: Application

Inform the immigration officer you wish to use the 240-hour transit visa exemption. Complete the arrival card.

Step 4: Entry Permit

The officer will stamp your passport with a temporary entry permit showing your allowed stay period.

Step 5: Transit

Travel within your permitted zone. Remember:

Important Rules

:::warning Critical Restrictions:

Counting Your Time

Arrival Day240 Hours Expires
MondayFollowing Wednesday at 11:59 PM
FridayFollowing Sunday at 11:59 PM

Third Country Rules

Valid Examples:

Invalid Examples:

Comparison of Transit Policies

Feature24-Hour TWOV240-Hour TWOV30-Day Visa-Free
Duration24 hours240 hours (10 days)30 days
CountriesAll nationalities55 eligible50 eligible
PurposeTransit onlyTransit onlyTourism/business
Exit countryAnyAny third countryN/A
PortsAll international ports65 designatedAll ports

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Forgetting to count the full day: Hours start at midnight, not from your arrival
  2. Leaving the permitted zone: Stick to your province/region
  3. Using return flight as “third country”: Must be a different destination
  4. Missing the deadline: Set multiple alarms for your exit time
  5. Not keeping immigration stamp: Required for exit verification

Pro Tips

Sources

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