- China’s 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy lets eligible travellers from 55 countries transit through China to a third country/region without a visa, staying up to 240 hours (10 days) in designated areas.
中国 240 小时（10 天）过境免签政策允许 55 个国家的合资格旅客在前往第三国/地区途中免签过境中国，并在规定区域停留最多 240 小时（10 天）。- The policy was comprehensively relaxed on 17 December 2024: stay was extended from 72/144 hours to 240 hours, ports grew from 39 to 60, eligible provinces from 19 to 24, and cross-provincial travel within the allowed regions became permitted.
该政策于 2024 年 12 月 17 日全面放宽优化：停留时间由 72/144 小时延长至 240 小时，适用口岸由 39 个增至 60 个，适用省份由 19 个增至 24 个，并允许在适用区域内跨省域旅行。- Indonesia was added on 12 June 2025, bringing the eligible-country count to 55 (Europe 40, Americas 6, Oceania 2, Asia 7).
印度尼西亚于 2025 年 6 月 12 日加入，适用国家增至 55 个（欧洲 40、美洲 6、大洋洲 2、亚洲 7）。- On 3 November 2025 NIA announced 10 innovation measures for opening-up: eligible foreigners may now apply at 65 ports, the entry card can be filled in online in advance, and seven categories (incl. green-card holders, group-visa travellers, cruise passengers) are exempt from filling it.
国家移民管理局于 2025 年 11 月 3 日宣布 10 项扩大开放创新举措：合资格外籍人员可自 65 个口岸申请，入境卡可提前网上填报，七类人员（含绿卡持有人、团体签证、邮轮旅客等）免填报。- It is for transit, not work or study: permitted activities include tourism, business, visit and family reunion; work, study and news reporting still require prior approval/visas.
该政策面向过境，而非工作或学习：允许从事旅游、商务、访问、探亲等活动；工作、学习、新闻采访等仍须事先办妥签证。- Eligibility essentials: a passport valid ≥3 months, a confirmed onward ticket to a third country/region within 240 hours, and entry via one of the designated open ports.
核心资格：护照有效期不少于 3 个月、持有 240 小时内前往第三国/地区的已确定联程客票、自指定开放口岸入境。- Practical tips for foreign-invested enterprises: use it for short supplier visits, trade fairs and meetings; pair with the separate unilateral/reciprocal visa-free entry policies; never overstay or drift outside the allowed region.
外商投资企业实操提示：可用于短期供应商拜访、展会与会议；可与单边/互免签证政策叠加；切勿逾期或超出规定区域活动。
China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy: a practical guide for foreign business travelers | 中国 240 小时过境免签政策：外籍商务旅客实操指南
Overview
For the foreign-invested enterprise sending staff or partners to China for a few days of meetings, a trade fair, or a supplier visit, the visa-on-arrival paperwork used to be a recurring headache. China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy has become one of the simplest ways for eligible nationals to enter China briefly without a visa at all.
This article explains who qualifies, where and how to enter, what you may and may not do during the stay, the 2024–2025 relaxations, and practical do’s and don’ts for businesses. Sources are the National Immigration Administration (NIA) and the State Council portal.
What the policy is
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy allows nationals of designated countries, in transit to a third country or region, to enter China without a visa and stay within designated areas for up to 240 hours (10 days). The stay clock starts at 00:00 the day after entry.
Crucially, this is a transit facility, not a general visit visa. You must be genuinely travelling onwards to a third country/region (not back to your point of origin).
The 2024–2025 relaxations
The policy was comprehensively relaxed on 17 December 2024:
- Longer stay: from 72/144 hours to a uniform 240 hours (10 days).
- More ports: from 39 to 60 open ports across 24 provincial-level regions.
- Wider area: eligible provinces/regions rose from 19 to 24; in several newly added regions (Anhui, Hainan, Guizhou) the whole province is open, while others (Shanxi, Jiangxi) open specific cities.
- Cross-region travel: travellers may move across provincial boundaries within the allowed stay areas (e.g., Beijing–Shanghai–Guangdong itineraries are possible).
On 12 June 2025, Indonesia was added, bringing the eligible countries to 55. On 3 November 2025, NIA announced 10 innovation measures supporting opening-up, including raising applicable ports to 65 and allowing the temporary entry card to be filled in online in advance (with seven exempt categories).
Who is eligible (55 countries)
- Europe (40): Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway.
- Americas (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
- Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.
- Asia (7): Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia.
Conditions and documents
To use the policy you generally need:
- A passport or international travel document valid for at least three months and meeting the entry conditions of the onward destination.
- A confirmed onward ticket (connecting itinerary) to a third country/region within 240 hours, with fixed date and seat.
- Entry through one of the designated open ports; present the temporary entry card (now pre-fillable online) and undergo border inspection.
Seven categories are exempt from filling the entry card: holders of the PRC Foreign Permanent Resident ID, non-Chinese residents of Hong Kong/Macao with the relevant permits, group-visa or group visa-free entrants, 24-hour direct transit not leaving the port area, cruise passengers returning on the same vessel, express-lane entrants, and foreign crew of cross-border transport.
What you may — and may not — do
Permitted: tourism, business, visit, and family reunion activities during the stay.
Not permitted without prior approval: work, study, and news reporting/interviews — these still require the appropriate visa obtained in advance.
Beyond that, respect the geographic boundary (stay within the designated provinces/regions) and the time limit (leave or otherwise regularise status before 240 hours expire).
Practical tips for foreign-invested enterprises
- Use it for short trips: supplier audits, trade fairs (e.g., Canton Fair, CIIE), board meetings, and partner visits where a full visa is overkill.
- Plan the itinerary as genuine transit: your ticket must show onward travel to a third country/region.
- Leverage port coverage: with 60–65 ports and 24 provinces, most major business hubs (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Chengdu, etc.) are covered.
- Stack with other visa-free policies: China also operates unilateral and reciprocal full visa-free entry for several countries — check which applies to your traveller to maximise convenience.
- Avoid overstay and boundary drift: set internal reminders; an overstay converts a convenience into an immigration violation.
- For longer assignments, use the work-visa/residence route (see our work-visa guides) instead of repeated transit entries.
What to do next
- Confirm nationality is on the 55-country list.
- Book an onward ticket to a third country/region within 240 hours.
- Choose a designated port of entry/exit.
- Pre-fill the entry card online where available to speed border inspection.
- Brief travellers on permitted activities and the stay/area limits.
- Keep evidence of the onward itinerary throughout the trip.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration press conference on relaxing and optimising the visa-free transit policy (17 Dec 2024) — www.nia.gov.cn/n741435/n1194535/n1689182/index.html.
- NIA Announcement No.2 [2025] adding Indonesia as an eligible country (12 Jun 2025) — s.nia.gov.cn/mps/tztg/202506/t20250610_5102.html; State Council portal report — www.gov.cn/lianbo/bumen/202506/content_7027403.htm.
- NIA, *Announcement on 10 Innovation Measures Supporting Expanded Opening-up and High-quality Development* (3 Nov 2025) — www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202511/content_7046910.htm.
Related reading
- Work visas & residence permits
- China’s Talent Visa & Residence Facilitation Reform (2025–2026)
- Paying for Everything in China: a practical guide for foreign visitors and residents
中国 240 小时过境免签政策：外籍商务旅客实操指南
概述
对派员工或合作伙伴来华开几天会、参展或拜访供应商的外商投资企业来说，落地签与签证材料曾是反复出现的麻烦。中国240 小时过境免签政策已成为合资格国公民免签短期入境中国最便捷的方式之一。
本文说明谁符合资格、在何处与如何入境、停留期间可为与不可为、2024–2025 年的放宽举措，以及企业实操的注意事项。来源为国家移民管理局与国务院门户网站。
政策是什么
240 小时过境免签政策允许指定国家的公民，在前往第三国或地区过境途中，免签入境中国，并在规定区域内停留最多 240 小时（10 天）。停留时间自入境次日零时起算。
关键点是，这是一项过境便利，而非普通访问签证。你必须确实继续前往第三国/地区（而非返回出发地）。
2024–2025 年的放宽
该政策于 2024 年 12 月 17 日全面放宽优化：
- 更长停留： 由 72/144 小时统一延长至 240 小时（10 天）。
- 更多口岸： 由 39 个增至 60 个开放口岸，覆盖 24 个省区市。
- 更广区域： 适用省份/地区由 19 个增至 24 个；新增的安徽、海南、贵州全省开放，山西、江西开放指定城市。
- 跨区通行： 旅客可在规定停留区域内跨省域旅行（如北京—上海—广东行程可行）。
2025 年 6 月 12 日，印度尼西亚加入，适用国家增至 55 个。2025 年 11 月 3 日，国家移民管理局宣布 10 项扩大开放创新举措，包括将适用口岸提至 65 个，并允许临时入境卡提前网上填报（七类人员免填报）。
谁符合资格（55 国）
- 欧洲（40）： 奥地利、比利时、捷克、丹麦、爱沙尼亚、芬兰、法国、德国、希腊、匈牙利、冰岛、意大利、拉脱维亚、立陶宛、卢森堡、马耳他、荷兰、波兰、葡萄牙、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亚、西班牙、瑞典、瑞士、摩纳哥、俄罗斯、英国、爱尔兰、塞浦路斯、保加利亚、罗马尼亚、乌克兰、塞尔维亚、克罗地亚、波黑、黑山、北马其顿、阿尔巴尼亚、白俄罗斯、挪威。
- 美洲（6）： 美国、加拿大、巴西、墨西哥、阿根廷、智利。
- 大洋洲（2）： 澳大利亚、新西兰。
- 亚洲（7）： 韩国、日本、新加坡、文莱、阿联酋、卡塔尔、印度尼西亚。
条件与材料
使用该政策通常需具备：
- 有效期不少于三个月、且符合前往第三国/地区入境条件的护照或国际旅行证件。
- 240 小时内前往第三国/地区的已确定联程客票（固定日期与座位）。
- 经指定开放口岸入境；填报临时入境卡（现可提前网上填），接受边防检查。
七类人员免填入境卡：持外国人永久居留身份证者、非中国籍港澳居民持相关证件者、团体签证或团体免签入境者、24 小时直接过境不离开口岸限定区域者、随原邮轮返回的邮轮旅客、快捷通道入境者、跨境交通运输工具外籍员工。
可为与不可为
允许： 停留期间的旅游、商务、访问、探亲活动。
未经事先批准不得： 工作、学习、新闻采访——这些仍须事先办妥相应签证。
此外，须遵守地域边界（在规定省区市范围内活动）与时限（240 小时内离境或另行合规化身份）。
外商投资企业实操提示
- 用于短期行程： 供应商审核、展会（如广交会、进博会）、董事会、合作伙伴拜访等无需正式签证的场合。
- 行程须为真实过境： 客票须显示前往第三国/地区的续程。
- 利用口岸覆盖： 60–65 个口岸、24 省区市，多数主要商务枢纽（北京、上海、广东、成都等）均覆盖。
- 与其他免签政策叠加： 中国对若干国家亦实行单边与互免全面免签，请核对适用对象以最大化便利。
- 避免逾期与越界： 设置内部提醒；逾期会将便利变为违规。
- 长期派驻请用工作签证/居留路径（见工作签证指南），而非反复过境。
下一步建议
- 确认国籍在 55 国名单内。
- 预订 240 小时内前往第三国/地区的续程客票。
- 选择指定口岸入境/出境。
- 提前网上填报入境卡（如支持）以加快通关。
- 向旅客说明可从事活动与停留/区域限制。
- 全程保留续程行程证据。
来源
- 国家移民管理局全面放宽优化过境免签政策新闻发布会（2024-12-17）——www.nia.gov.cn/n741435/n1194535/n1689182/index.html。
- 国家移民管理局 2025 年第 2 号公告（新增印度尼西亚，2025-06-12）——s.nia.gov.cn/mps/tztg/202506/t20250610_5102.html；国务院门户网站报道——www.gov.cn/lianbo/bumen/202506/content_7027403.htm。
- 国家移民管理局《关于实施支持扩大开放服务高质量发展10项创新举措的公告》（2025-11-03）——www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202511/content_7046910.htm。
相关阅读
- 工作签证与居留许可
- 外籍人才来华签证与居留便利化改革（2025–2026）
- 在中国怎么付钱：外籍来华人员的支付实操指南