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Visa-Free Transit Policies for Foreign Nationals
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In line with global norms, China has implemented a 24-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals from all other countries around the world at all its accessible exit-entry ports. Foreign nationals holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats, who intend to transit via China by international flights, ships, or trains to third countries or regions, are exempt from visa applications, provided that their stay periods in China will not exceed 24 hours and that they will remain within the corresponding ports. Those who plan to leave the ports must apply for temporary entry permits at the exit-entry border inspection authorities of the corresponding ports.
Currently, 38 exit-entry ports in 18 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government of China have implemented the 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals from 54 countries. These countries are Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Foreign nationals from these countries holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with information on confirmed dates and seats for transit via China to third countries or regions within specified time frames can apply for visa-free transits at the exit-entry border inspection authorities of the ports in the cities where the visa-free transit policies are in effect. The exit-entry border inspection authorities will then process their applications and grant temporary entry to the eligible foreign nationals. The duration of stay for each foreign national starts from 0:00 on the day following the day of entry.
The list of the ports in cities where the 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit policies are in effect is stated below.
S/N
Provincial-Level Administrative Division/Region
Eligible City
Eligible Port
Permitted Stay Area(s)
Notes
72-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy
1
Hunan Province
Changsha, Hunan
Changsha Huanghua International Airport
Hunan Province
2
Heilongjiang Province
Harbin, Heilongjiang
Harbin Taiping International Airport
Harbin City
3
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Guilin, Guangxi
Guilin Liangjiang International Airport
Guilin City
4
Beihai, Guangxi
Beihai Port (for passenger transport)
Beihai City
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy
1
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region
Beijing
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province
Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province have collaboratively implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter and exit China through all the eligible ports within the region, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.
2
Beijing Daxing International Airport
3
Beijingxi Railway Station
4
Tianjin
Tianjin Binhai International Airport
5
Tianjin International Cruise Home Port
6
Shijiazhuang, Hebei
Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport
7
Qinhuangdao, Hebei
Qinhuangdao Port (for passenger transport)
8
Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region
Shanghai
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province
Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Municipality have collaboratively implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter and exit China through all the eligible ports within the region, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
9
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
10
Shanghai Port (for passenger transport)
11
Exit-Entry Port of Shanghai Railway Station
12
Nanjing, Jiangsu
Nanjing Lukou International Airport
13
Lianyungang, Jiangsu
Lianyungang Port (for passenger transport)
14
Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
15
Ningbo, Zhejiang
Ningbo Lishe International Airport
16
Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Wenzhou Port (for passenger transport)
17
Zhoushan, Zhejiang
Zhoushan Port (for passenger transport)
18
Guangdong Province
Guangzhou, Guangdong
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Guangdong Province
Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter China through the airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Jieyang, as well as Nansha Port and Shekou Port, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours. Foreign nationals having entered China through the aforementioned ports in Guangdong Province are permitted to leave China through all the 36 exit-entry ports providing passenger transport services within the province.
19
Nansha Port (for passenger transport)
20
Shenzhen, Guangdong
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport
21
Shekou Port (for passenger transport)
22
Jieyang, Guangdong
Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
23
Liaoning Province
Shenyang, Liaoning
Shenyang Taoxian International Airport
Liaoning Province
Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter and exit China through the airports in Shenyang and Dalian, as well as Dalian Port, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours.
24
Dalian, Liaoning
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
25
Dalian Port (for passenger transport)
26
Shandong Province
Qingdao, Shandong
Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
Shandong Province
27
Qingdao Port (for passenger transport)
28
Chongqing Municipality
Chongqing
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
Chongqing Municipality
29
Sichuan Province
Chengdu, Sichuan
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Chengdu City, Deyang City, Leshan City, Luzhou City, Meishan City, Neijiang City, Suining City, Ya'an City, Yibin City, Zigong City and Ziyang City
30
Shaanxi Province
Xi'an, Shaanxi
Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
Xi'an City and Xianyang City
31
Fujian Province
Xiamen, Fujian
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport
Xiamen City
32
Port of Xiamen (for passenger transport)
33
Hubei Province
Wuhan, Hubei
Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
Wuhan City
34
Yunnan Province
Kunming, Yunnan
Kunming Changshui International Airport
Kunming City