China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: The Complete Guide

China's visa-free transit policy is the single most useful thing most travelers don't know about. It now lets citizens of around 55 countries stay up to 240 hours — 10 days — without a visa, as long as they're passing through to a third country.

Who qualifies

You need a passport from an eligible country (most of Europe, North America, Australia and others) and a confirmed onward ticket to a third destination. The rule that trips people up: the country after China must be different from the one you arrived from.

The third-country rule, explained

• Paris → Shanghai → Hong Kong works.
• London → Shanghai → London does not.
• Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan all count as third destinations.

How the clock works

The 240 hours start at midnight on the day after you arrive, so in practice you get close to 11 full days on the ground.

What to bring to the airport

Fill in the visa-free transit arrival card before passport control and carry printed copies of your hotel booking and onward ticket — immigration officers ask for them routinely. Tell your airline at check-in that you're using transit without a visa.

You must stay within the permitted area, which varies by port of entry. For Shanghai, that's Shanghai plus Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Always confirm current rules with your airline and embassy before booking non-refundable tickets.