The visa-free transit policy in China, offering 24-, 72- and 144-hour periods of visa-free transit has officially resumed.
The announcement was made in a January 2023 press release the by the PRC’s National Immigration Administration. The program is available to travelers who are transiting through China to a destination that is different from their country of departure.
Overview of the different visa-free time periods:
- 144-hour visa-free transit is available to passport holders from 52 countries* and allows for transfers between various transportation methods.
- 72-hour visa-free transit is available to passport holders from 52 countries* and allows for transfers between flights only.
- 24-hour visa-free transit is available to most nationalities and allows for transfers between various transportation methods.

Locations and duration of visa-free transit in China:
- 144-hour (including 72- and 24-hour) visa-free transit is available in the below regions:
- Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei
- Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang
- Guangdong
- Shandong
- Liaoning
- Chengdu
- Kunming
- Xi’an
- Chongqing
- Xiamen
- Wuhan
- 72-hour visa-free transit is available in the below regions:
- Harbin
- Guilin
- Changsha
- 24-hour visa-free transit is available in all of China’s international airports except:
- Fuzhou Changle Airport
- Huangshan Tunxi Airport
- Mudanjiang Hailang Airport
- Yanji Chaoyangchuan Airport
- Urumqi Diwopu International Airport

*74- and 144-hour visa-free transit is open to passport holders from the below countries:
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Qatar
As with all visa-related processes, there are various requirements, nuances and permutations to consider. Leave that task to us. Get in touch, let us know your plans/thoughts, and we’ll handle the rest.