Quick answer
The 240-hour visa-free transit lets eligible travelers stay in China for ten full days without any visa while in transit to a third country or region. There is no application and no fee — you present a confirmed onward ticket at the airline counter, clear a dedicated immigration lane, and the 240-hour clock starts at the entry stamp. The scheme covers designated ports across 24 provinces and — since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements — applies to 57 countries; among the nationalities we track, Vietnam uses it as its main visa-free route, and Ireland and the United States hold it as their only paper-free lane.
Why this matters in 2026
This is the successor of the famous 144-hour scheme, upgraded in late 2024: six days became ten, and the permitted area expanded to 24 provinces. It sits in the middle of China's three-track entry system: the transit now covers 57 countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements), of which Vietnam is the tracked nationality that uses it as its main route; 94 nationalities enter visa-free for 30 days outright, and 25 tracked nationalities need a full advance visa — Ireland and the US excepted, for whom the transit is the only paper-free lane. Knowing which track your passport is on decides whether a layover becomes a ten-day trip or a missed boarding.
The 57 eligible countries
The transit applies to 57 countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements). The list grew in three steps: 54 countries at the December 2024 relaunch, Indonesia added on 2025-06-12, and Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam on 2026-08-20. By region: 40 European states including Ireland, six in the Americas (the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile), Australia and New Zealand, and nine in Asia — Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Qatar and the UAE. India is not on it.
- Among the nationalities we track, Vietnam relies on the transit as its main visa-free route, and Ireland and the United States hold it as their only paper-free lane for a full stay.
- Indian passports get nothing beyond the 24-hour same-day rule: a Delhi–Shanghai–Frankfurt plan needs an advance visa first.
- Travelers from the 94 visa-free countries do not need this scheme — 30 days beats 10 — and the remaining 25 tracked visa-required nationalities cannot use it for a normal stay.
Key facts at a glance
- Duration: 240 hours — 10 full days from the entry stamp
- Eligible countries: 57 (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements); among tracked nationalities Vietnam relies on it, and Ireland and the US hold it as their only paper-free lane
- Permitted area: designated ports across 24 provinces
- Ticket rule: confirmed onward booking to a third country or region — not back to the origin
- Cost: CNY 0, no application, no appointment
- Fallback: 24-hour direct transit for all nationalities
Step-by-step walkthrough
Step 1: Check your passport against the list
Confirm your nationality is among the 57 eligible countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements) — the tracked passports that rely on transit are Vietnam, plus Ireland and the US as their only paper-free lane — then check the 94-country visa-free list first: if you are on it, plan a visa-free entry instead and gain 20 extra days.
Step 2: Book the right flights
Book an itinerary that enters China from one country and departs to a different country or region. Shanghai in from Bangkok, out to Melbourne: qualifies. Bangkok in and back out to Bangkok: fails at the airline counter.
Step 3: Prepare the paperwork you must show
Passport with at least 6 months validity, the confirmed onward ticket (printed — counters are paper-first), and accommodation details for the first night. Printings beat phone screens.
Step 4: Declare transit at check-in
Tell the airline you are using visa-free transit. The agent verifies the onward ticket and your nationality against the current list before issuing boarding passes — this is where failed itineraries are stopped, before the flight.
Step 5: Clear the transit lane
At the Chinese port, follow the transit signage to the visa-free transit counter. The officer prints a temporary entry permit, and the 240 hours start at the stamp.
Step 6: Stay legal for ten days
Register each night's accommodation (hotels do it automatically), keep movement inside the permitted provinces, and exit through a designated port before the 240 hours end.
Common scenarios and use cases
1. The Irish passport's only paper-free lane
A Dublin–Shanghai–Tokyo ticket unlocks ten days: enter at Shanghai, four days there, high-speed rail to Beijing for the rest, exit from Beijing Capital to Tokyo. One ticket, zero visa paperwork — and for an Irish passport, the transit is the only visa-free way into China there is.
2. Hanoi with a Guangzhou stop
Vietnam is on the list — and among the nationalities we track it is the one that uses transit as its main visa-free route. A Hanoi–Guangzhou–Bangkok routing gives ten days for the wholesale markets and a Pearl River side trip, exiting to a third country as required.
3. The beach-then-business combination
Enter via Phuket, transit ten days through Chengdu and Xi'an, exit to Singapore. Different entry and exit ports are fine as long as both are designated under the scheme.
4. The failed booking
A Hanoi in-and-out round trip does not qualify — the same origin and destination is a round trip, not a transit. Fix it before flying: rebook the return leg through a third region or apply for a visa in advance.
Pitfalls to avoid
- A return ticket as the "onward" leg: the number-one rejection at check-in — the rule requires a third country or region.
- Assuming the whole country is open: 24 provinces are permitted; straying outside is a violation, and not every popular stop is inside.
- Letting day 10 slip: hours matter — the permit expires at the entry-stamp time, not at midnight. Overstays cost CNY 500 per day.
- Phone-only ticket copies: counters reject screenshots when the system is slow; carry prints.
- Unregistered private stays: friend's sofa or an unlicensed guesthouse without police registration creates problems at exit.
Costs and pricing breakdown
- The transit itself: CNY 0 — no application, no consular fee, no appointment
- Compared with an L visa: saves the CNY 1200-equivalent fee (USD 140–185) and the 4–7 working days of processing
- Side trips inside the area: Shanghai–Suzhou rail from CNY 40; Beijing–Xi'an from about CNY 515
- Hotel registration: included automatically at licensed hotels
- Courier or agent fees: none apply — there is nothing to outsource
Alternatives and trade-offs
- 30-day visa-free entry: for 94 nationalities — no transit ticket needed, triple the old 144-hour duration.
- 24-hour direct transit: the baseline for every nationality not on the 240-hour list; stay airside or make a same-day connection.
- Advance visa at CVASC: the route for the 25 tracked visa-required nationalities, India included — 4–7 working days, CNY 1200-equivalent, biometrics in person.
- Restructuring the itinerary: sometimes adding a third-country leg (for example via Hong Kong) converts a failing round trip into a qualifying transit for less than the visa fee.
Verifying current information
Lists and ports shift with each policy wave. Before booking:
- National Immigration Administration: https://www.nia.gov.cn — current nationality list and permitted area
- China Visa Application Service Center: https://www.visaforchina.org — if your itinerary fails and you need a visa
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (PRC): https://www.fmprc.gov.cn
- Your airline's transit desk: final word on whether boarding will be granted
Putting it all together
The 240-hour scheme rewards precise bookings: a ticket that enters from one country and leaves to another, both ends at designated ports, all movement inside 24 provinces, and an exit before the entry-stamp clock hits hour 240. Get those five elements right and you have a ten-day China trip with zero paperwork and zero fees — an itinerary that costs CNY 0 at immigration and saves the CNY 1200-equivalent visa route entirely.
FAQ
How long is 240 hours?
Exactly ten days, counted from your entry stamp — a 14:00 Monday arrival expires 14:00 the following Thursday.
Who can use 240-hour visa-free transit?
The transit covers 57 countries (since 2026-08-20, per NIA announcements) — 40 European states including Ireland, the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile, Australia and New Zealand, and nine Asian states including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, the UAE and Qatar. Among the nationalities we track, Vietnam relies on it as its main visa-free route, and Ireland and the US hold it as their only paper-free lane. India is not on the list.
Do I need to apply in advance?
No. There is no application and no fee — the check happens at the airline counter and the transit lane at the border.
Can I enter and leave from different cities?
Yes, as long as both ports are designated for the scheme and you remain within the permitted provinces.
Does a ticket back to my starting point qualify?
No. The onward ticket must reach a third country or region; Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as separate regions.
What happens if I overstay the 240 hours?
CNY 500 in fines per day and a possible 1–5 year entry ban, plus a record that complicates future applications.
Can I work or do business during the transit?
Transit covers tourism, family visits, and meetings in passing — paid employment is illegal under any transit status.
Visa-free tracker
Country-by-country visa policy with stay days and official sources: our China visa-free tracker (120 passports, 240-hour transit included).