China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Eligible Countries Guide

One of the biggest myths about visiting China is that you always need a visa in advance. In 2026 that is no longer true for most travellers. China now offers a 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy and, separately, unilateral 30-day visa-free entry for a long list of countries. This guide explains, in plain English, which one might apply to you and how to actually walk through border control in Beijing.

Who is eligible

There are two different policies, and they are easy to confuse:

240-hour transit visa-free — Covers roughly 57 countries. You must be transiting to a third country or region (not returning home directly) with a confirmed onward ticket, and you may stay up to 10 days.
Unilateral 30-day visa-free — Covers about 48 countries for ordinary passport holders visiting China for tourism, business, visiting friends/family, or transit — no onward ticket required, up to 30 days.
Always verify the current list — Both country lists have been expanded repeatedly in 2025–2026. Check the National Immigration Administration (NIA) website for the live list before you book flights.

How the 240-hour transit rule works

If you are using the transit policy, a few rules matter at the border:

Confirmed onward travel — You need a ticket with a fixed date and seat to a third country or region within 240 hours. A return ticket home usually does not qualify as 'transit'.
Passport validity — Your passport should be valid for at least 3 months beyond entry.
Where you can move — You may travel freely within designated areas across 24 provincial-level regions and enter through about 65 open ports — not just the arrival city.
The clock starts the next day — The 240 hours are counted from 00:00 on the day after you arrive, not from the hour you land.
What you cannot do — Work, study, and news reporting still require a proper visa obtained in advance.

Arriving in Beijing

Both Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) are among the open ports for the transit and visa-free policies. At immigration, have these ready: your passport, your onward ticket confirmation, and (for transit) any documents showing your third-country itinerary. Officers issue a temporary entry permit that you then use for hotel check-in and accommodation registration. Hotels used to foreign guests handle this registration at check-in, so you do not need to visit the police station yourself.

Mistakes that get travellers turned away

No confirmed onward ticket — A vague plan is not enough — you need a booked seat to a third country/region.
Treating transit as a round trip — Flying in from country A and straight back to A generally does not count as transit; you usually need to continue to a different country or region.
Assuming your country is covered — Lists change. Verify yours is on the current list before you fly.
Overstaying the clock — Count from the day after arrival and leave before the limit — overstays create real problems.

If you still need a tourist visa

If neither policy covers you, or you plan to stay longer than 30 days, you will need a regular tourist (L) visa from a Chinese embassy or consulate before you travel. Apply well ahead of your dates, and carry your hotel booking and itinerary. Our first-time-in-Beijing guide covers what to prepare once your entry is sorted.

Related Beijing guides

If you found this useful, these cover the next question most visitors ask:

First Time — Booking Beijing's Big Sights: Real-Name Tickets, Passport Entry and What Sells Out
Payments — Tax Refunds and Duty-Free in China: What's Real and What's a Trap

Your first two hours on the ground: payments, SIMs and onward tickets

Get three things sorted before you leave the airport. First, payments: Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept foreign cards, so download one app and link your Visa or Mastercard at the airport before your data plan kicks in — cash is still accepted but many taxi queues now assume扫码. Second, connectivity: China Mobile and China Unicom sell tourist SIMs at arrivals counters (roughly ¥100–200 depending on data; check prices on the day), but eSIMs bought before departure are often cheaper and work on arrival. Third, onward travel: if you used the 240-hour transit policy, you must leave for a third country, so have your departing flight or train confirmed and saved offline — hotel staff and the border check at your exit point may ask. The Airport Express from Terminal 3 runs from early morning to around 23:00 and costs ¥25; trains from Daxing are cheaper and reach the city in under 20 minutes.

Making the transit policy work for your itinerary

Count nights, not days — The 240 hours start the moment your entry stamp is issued, not midnight. Land at 15:00 and you must exit by roughly 15:00 on day ten — plan Beijing days around that clock, not the calendar.
Beijing is the only stop — The policy permits travel within the province (or approved regions) of entry. Entering via Beijing means your time should be spent around Beijing and Hebei; hopping on a Shanghai-bound flight inside China can void your exit eligibility.
Book the exit ticket before you fly — Airlines and Chinese border officers check that you have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region. A return ticket to your origin, or an unconfirmed booking, is the most common reason travellers are refused boarding at check-in.
Tell the airline, not just the officer — Check-in staff at your departure city decide whether to let you board, and many have not handled 240-hour transits. Bring a printed itinerary showing origin, Beijing stopover and third-country exit, and allow extra time at the desk.
Keep your entry stamp visible — Hotels and attractions will register your passport details against the entry stamp. Photograph the stamp on arrival so you can show it if a hotel's registration system flags a short-stay traveller.