This summer, if you travel to China and meet certain conditions, you can obtain a visa-free stay of up to 240 hours, a full 10 days!

 

 

Written by: Yi Sheng

It’s that time of year again—summer vacation—and many readers are probably planning to travel to China. To help naturalized Chinese and other ethnic friends easily understand travel to China, Meihua Magazine published an article in September 2024 titled “144-Hour Transit Visa,” which provided detailed explanations and analysis of China’s visa-free policies at that time. Now, nine months later, for those planning to visit China this summer, are there any new changes in the visa policy?

There really are! This summer, if you travel to China and meet certain conditions, you can obtain a visa-free stay of up to 240 hours, a full 10 days! This undoubtedly greatly increases the appeal of China travel for those planning to visit relatives or take a spontaneous trip. So the question is, who qualifies for the visa-free policy, through which entry points can you obtain visa-free status, and what are the specific application and implementation procedures? Quickly follow Meihua to explore the ins and outs of the visa-free policy!

 

01

Which countries’ citizens qualify for the visa-free policy?

According to the announcement updated on June 12 by the National Immigration Administration of China titled “Applicable Conditions for Foreigners Applying for 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy,” as of August 2025, citizens of 55 countries are eligible for the 240-hour visa-free policy. Among them, the three North American countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico—are all included. Friends holding passports from other countries can refer to the chart below to see if their nationality qualifies for the visa-free policy.

It should be pointed out that China has a unilateral visa-free policy allowing citizens of 47 countries to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa. However, as of August 2025, the three North American countries are not included. Therefore, friends holding US, Canadian, or Mexican nationality who plan to stay in China for more than 10 days, or who have travel purposes such as work or study, still need to hold or apply for the corresponding Chinese visa. Detailed explanations will be provided later.

 

02

Which ports are visa-free? How is the duration calculated?

This year, the number of visa-free ports has increased from 39 last year to 60. In addition to retaining traditional entry ports such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, cities with unique tourist features have been added, including Harbin in Heilongjiang with its ice and snow scenery, Zhangjiajie in Hunan which inspired the movie “Avatar,” Haikou and Sanya in Hainan known as “China’s Hawaii,” Yangzhou in Jiangsu famous for Huaiyang cuisine and Slender West Lake, and Yiwu in Zhejiang, known as the “World’s Small Commodity Capital.” These additions provide more destination choices for traveling in China. The complete list of 60 transit ports and their corresponding activity areas can be found on the official website of the National Immigration Administration of China.

△ Foreign tourists fill out the entry registration card at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Photo/Newscom

It is especially worth mentioning that travelers entering China through visa-free ports are allowed to stay and engage in activities within the designated area of that port for up to 240 hours. They are also permitted to travel across provinces to other visa-free ports’ designated areas within the 240-hour period, provided that both the entry and exit points are among the list of 60 ports. For example, Ryan, a US citizen, enters China through Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Besides touring Shanghai, he can travel throughout Zhejiang Province within 240 hours and finally exit from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.

Another point to note is that the 240-hour visa-free period starts from 00:00 on the day after entering China, not on the day of entry. In the example above, if Ryan enters through Shanghai Pudong International Airport on the afternoon of July 31, his 240-hour visa-free period begins at 00:00 on August 1. Therefore, the latest time for Ryan to leave from Hangzhou is 11:59 PM on August 10.

△ If you travel to China and meet certain conditions, you can obtain a visa-free stay of up to 240 hours. Photo/Shutterstock

 

03

What procedures are required to apply for visa-free eligibility?

Generally speaking, citizens of the aforementioned 55 countries only need to present the following documents to the border inspection when entering the visa-free channel. After verification, they can obtain visa-free eligibility:

Valid international travel document (recommended to be valid for at least six months)

Confirmed connecting ticket, ship ticket, or train ticket with date and seat within 240 hours (the visa-free policy has specific requirements for the ticket destination, see the explanation below)

Completed foreigner entry card

There is no explicit regulation on hotel reservations, but it is recommended to book in advance and carry the reservation for inquiry

 

04

How to understand the term “transit”?

This may be the most emphasized and important part of the visa-free policy. The National Immigration Administration of China used the term “transit” rather than “entry” in the policy “Applicable Conditions for Foreigners Applying for the 240-hour Transit Visa Exemption” issued at the end of 2024 and its update announcement in 2025. In other words, this policy targets foreigners who transit through China and continue to a third country (region), where “region” is defined in the policy interpretation as Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

△ For those who do not meet the “transit” tourism requirements or wish to stay in China for more than 10 days, it is recommended to consider using or applying for a Chinese L visa. Image/Shutterstock

According to this regulation, in our example, Ryan departs from the United States, first travels in China, then goes from China to Japan, and finally returns to the United States, which meets the 240-hour visa-free “transit” condition. If Ryan’s ticket shows that he departs from the United States, enters China for sightseeing, and then directly returns to the United States, this does not count as “transiting” China and he cannot obtain the 240-hour visa exemption upon entry. However, if Ryan departs from the United States, first arrives at Hong Kong (defined as a third country/region), then enters Guangzhou from Hong Kong, and finally returns to the United States from Guangzhou, he meets the visa exemption conditions.

 

05

Not covered by the 240-hour visa exemption

According to the interpretation of the announcement by the National Immigration Administration of China, the 240-hour transit visa exemption policy applies to activities such as tourism, business, visits, and family reunions. If friends plan to go to China for work, study, or news reporting, these activities are not covered by the visa exemption and require a separate visa application.

For those who do not meet the requirements of “transit” tourism or wish to stay in China for more than 10 days, it is recommended to consider using or applying for a Chinese L visa. The Chinese tourist visa application policy has not seen any adjustments or announcements recently and still follows the terms updated at the beginning of 2024. Core materials such as round-trip tickets, hotel bookings, itineraries or invitation letters, as well as general materials like the original passport and Chinese visa application form, remain indispensable. For a detailed list, please refer to the website of the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country or region.

 

06

Are there any new policies regarding accommodation for visa-exempt foreigners in China?

According to the Q&A guidelines issued by the National Immigration Administration of China on June 27, when foreigners stay in hotels within China, the hotel will report the foreigners’ accommodation registration information to the local public security authorities during the registration process; for stays at other residences outside hotels, the individual or the host must register with the local public security authorities within 24 hours of check-in.

The above is a summary of China’s 240-hour visa exemption policy prepared for everyone. Whether you plan to travel to China or visit relatives and friends, we hope this guide will be helpful for your trip. We will continue to monitor updates to the visa exemption policy and look forward to more convenient news for traveling to China. If you are unsure about what to do in China, don’t miss the special travel editions prepared by “Meihua” magazine in each issue!