China has issued a series of visa-free policies, which allows travelers from more countries to transit or travel in China without having a Chinese visa.
Currently, all open ports in China implement a 24-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens of all countries and regions. Passengers holding a confirmed connecting ticket for international flights, ships, or trains transiting through China to a third country or region can be exempted from China visa requirements if they stay in China for no more than 24 hours without leaving the port.
If they need to leave the entry port, they must apply for a temporary entry permit from the port immigration inspection authority. Besides, China’s 24-hour visa-free transit policy applies to all countries and regions, such as the 54 China visa-free countries included in 72-hour and 144-hour lists like the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Korea, as well as the rest of countries and regions in the world like India, Dubai, Malaysia, and more.
Who Can Apply for a 24-Hour Visa-Free Transit in China?
Foreign nationals can apply for and will be issued a 24-hour visa-free entry permit in China except:
- Those who have a passport or other international travel document valid for less than 3 months.
- Those who have previously been denied a visa by Chinese visa
- Those who have a record of illegal entry, residence, or employment in China within the last five years.
- Those who have seriously violated accommodation registration regulations in China within the last two years.
- Those who fall under other circumstances specified by Chinese laws and administrative regulations that prohibit entry.
What Are the Conditions for a 24-hour Visa-Free Transit in China?
- You must have a passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry.
- You should travel by plane, ship, or train with a confirmed seat and date.
- You must be in transit to a third country or region.
- The transit time should be no more than 24 hours.
- Two or more stops are allowed on the Chinese mainland.
What Is an Eligible Transit Route?
Generally, the eligible route for a China 24-hour visa-free transit should be Country or Region A – China – Country or Region C.
That is to say, A and C are different countries or regions. For instance, if you travel from France, transit in China, and then head to the United States, it will be a qualified route and you can apply for a 24-hour entry permit without a Chinese visa.
Besides, as the policy allows two or more stops in China as long as you leave within 24 hours, a route like France – Guangzhou – Shanghai – United States is also eligible.
What Are the Required Documents?
Foreign nationals applying for a temporary 24-hour visa-free transit in China must submit a valid passport (including diplomatic and ordinary passports) or other international travel documents, a connecting ticket, and other required materials.
How to Apply for a 24-Hour Visa-Free Entry Permit?
Step 1: Prepare the above-mentioned required documents.
Step 2: Complete an arrival/departure card at the border inspection counter.
Step 3: Get the temporary entry permit stamp or sticker on your passport.
Step 4: Go to claim your luggage if there is one and go through customs.
Differences Between 24, 72, and 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in China
In addition to the 24-hour visa-free transit, China also has 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit policies, and below are the differences between them.
| Types of visa-free transit | 24 hours | 72 hours | 144 hours |
| Eligible nationalities | All nationalities | 54 nationalities | 54 nationalities |
| Ports of entry | All accessible open ports in China | 38 ports in 18 provinces | 38 ports in 18 provinces |
| Means of transportation | Plane, ship, or train | Plane | Plane, ship, or train |
| Stops in China | Multiple stops | Single stop | Multiple stops |
If you want to stay in China a bit longer during your transit without a China visa, you can apply for 72-hour visa-free transit, 144-hour visa-free transit, or even 15-day visa-free entry in this country. For more details, kindly check them respectively. Besides, you can embark on China tours to explore this beautiful country during your transit.
FAQs about China’s 24-hour Visa-free Transit Policy
Q1: How the 24 Hours Are Calculated?
For a 24-hour visa-free transit in China, the duration starts when you are scheduled to arrive and ends when you are scheduled to leave.
Q2: Do I still need to go through immigration inspection procedures?
Starting from January 11, 2024, foreign nationals transiting directly through nine international airports—Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Hangzhou Xiaoshan, Xiamen Gaoqi, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao’an, Chengdu Tianfu, and Xi’an Xianyang—are exempt from immigration inspection procedures for 24-hour transit without China visa. For other ports, immigration inspection procedures are still required.
Q3: Can I leave the corresponding port during my 24-hour visa-free transit in China?
If you need to leave the designated port area, you must apply for a temporary entry permit from the immigration inspection authority. More specifically, the following materials are required: first, a valid international travel document; second, a confirmed connecting ticket for travel within 24 hours to a third country or region, along with completing the temporary entry card.
