Free Visa-entry to China
China’s 240-hour visa-free transit is a policy implemented by the Chinese government to facilitate the entry and exit of foreigners. Visitors located in visa-free countries prior to their China tours can apply for a China visa waiver.
Confirmation of Visa-free Conditions
For foreign tourists applying for transit visa waiver, they must be citizens of countries covered by China’s transit visa waiver policy. Be in possession of a valid international travel document, and the validity period of the document meets the requirements for traveling to the third country or region.
Hold a joint ticket to the third country or region, and the ticket is valid within 240 hours after entering China. Fill out an entry card for foreigners who have entered the country temporarily and accept the questioning of the entry and exit border control authorities.
Choose a Transit Port
Citizens of the 54 countries that are subject to the 240-hour visa-free transit policy may enter the country at any one of the 60 ports of entry that are subject to the visa-free transit policy, such as Beijing and Shanghai. Other ports are not applicable to the 240-hour visa-free transit policy for the time being.
If you have planned a Yunnan tour, you can directly check in at Kunming Changshui International Airport or Lijiang Sanyi International Airport. However, if the place you need to visit does not have a visa-free port of entry, you will need to transit from other places. If you have planned a Zhangjiajie tour, you can enter China at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and travel to Zhangjiajie afterwards.
Documents for Entry
Ensure that the passport validity period meets the requirements for traveling to China and a third country or region. For foreigners applying for transit visa waiver, they are required to have a combined passenger ticket to a third country or region. Depending on the circumstances, other supporting documents such as hotel reservation, travel insurance, invitation letter, etc. may be required.
Complete Entry Procedures
Eligible foreign travelers, holding their passports with validity of not less than three months, and booking in advance a combined ticket for a stopover in China and a trip to a third country or region within 240 hours, can apply to the border control authorities at the border crossing and enter the country after completing the transit formalities in accordance with the laws of the border control authorities.
Entry Notes
Pay attention to the scope of activities. After entering the country, foreign travelers can travel and sightseeing within the stipulated areas of 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), including Beijing, where the transit visa-free policy applies, and travel across provinces.
During the travel period, attention should be paid to the rational planning of travel routes according to the permitted areas of stay and activities, and the scope of stay should not be exceeded.
