VISA-FREE TRANSIT POLICIES FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS
VISA-FREE TRANSIT POLICIES FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS
【 1. 24-hour transit visa free 】
China has implemented a 24-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens of all other countries around the world at all its accessible exit-entry ports.
Foreign nationals holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats, who intend to transit via China by international flights, ships, or trains to third countries or regions, are exempt from visa applications, provided that their stay in China will not exceed 24 hours and that they will remain within the arrival ports.
Those who plan to leave the ports must apply for temporary entry permits at the exit-entry border inspection authorities of the corresponding ports.
【2. 72 hour/144 hour transit visa free】
Currently, 41 exit-entry ports in 19 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government of China have implemented the 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens from 54 countries. The requirements are as follows:
1. He/she must be a citizen of one of the countries entitled to the 72/144-hour visa-free transit.
(Please check the table below for the list of the countries entitled.)
——List of Countries Entitled to the 72/144-Hour Visa-Free Transit——
European countries (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
American countries (6):
United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile
Oceanian countries (2):
Australia, New Zealand
Asian countries (6):
South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar
2. He/she must hold a valid international travel document (valid for no less than three months) that can prove his/her nationality and identity, and meet the conditions for entering a third country/region.
3. He/she must hold a connecting ticket to a third country/region with a confirmed date and seat for departure within 72/144 hours, or relevant certificates as per the amount of time applied for the visa-free transit, fill out the Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners, and accept inquiries from the entry-exit border inspection authority.
【III. List of Acceptable Ports】
Foreigners who meet the conditions can apply for the 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free transit at the entry-exit border inspection authorities in the following cities.
——72 Hour Visa Free Transit -——
|Provincial administrative region | Port name | Scope of stay|
|Hunan Province | Changsha Huanghua International Airport | Hunan Province|
|Heilongjiang Province | Harbin Taiping International Airport | Harbin|
|Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region | Guilin Liangjiang International Airport | Guilin|
|Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region | Beihai Port | Beihai|
——144 Hour Visa Free Transit -——
◆ Beijing Tianjin Hebei Region
Ports: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport, Qinhuangdao Port
Scope of stay: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei Province
◆ Shanghai Jiangsu Zhejiang Region
Ports: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai Port, Shanghai Railway Station Exit Entry Port, Nanjing Lukou International Airport, Lianyungang Port, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Ningbo Lishe International Airport, Wenzhou Port, Zhoushan Port
Scope of stay: Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province
◆ Guangdong Province
Ports: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Nansha Port, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Shekou Port, Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
Scope of stay: Guangdong Province (Foreigners entering through the above-mentioned ports in Guangdong Province can leave from all 36 entry and exit ports that provide passenger services within Guangdong Province)
◆ Liaoning Province
Ports: Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, Dalian Port
Range of stay: Liaoning Province
◆ Shandong Province
Ports: Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport, Qingdao Port
Range of stay: Shandong Province
◆ Sichuan Province
Port: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Range of stay: Chengdu, Leshan, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya'an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou, Yibin
◆ Fujian Province
Ports: Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen Port
Range of stay: Xiamen
◆ Yunnan Province
Ports: Kunming Changshui International Airport, Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, Mohan Railway Station Exit Entry Port
Range of stay: Kunming, Lijiang, Yuxi, Pu'er, Chuxiong, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe, Wenshan
◆ Hubei Province
Port: Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
Range of stay: Wuhan
◆ Chongqing Municipality
Port: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
Scope of stay: Chongqing City
◆ Shaanxi Province
Port: Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
Range of stay: Xi'an, Xianyang
◆ Henan Province
Port: Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport
Range of stay: Henan Province
4. Kind Reminder: KING REMINDER
The border control authorities will not issue temporary entry permits to a foreigner if:
- The remaining validity period of their passport or other international travel documents is less than three months;
- Any travel document bearing a refusal stamp from the Chinese visa issuing authority;
- Has a record of illegal entry, exit, residence, or employment in the past five years.
Foreigners under these circumstances are not entitled to the 72/144-hour visa-free transit.