Policies change. This page reflects the policy as published by China's National Immigration Administration. Last checked: October 2026. Always confirm on the official sources linked below before booking flights.
What is the 240-hour transit visa-free policy?
If you are transiting through mainland China to a third country or region, you can enter without a visa and stay up to 240 hours — 10 days. You enter through a designated port and leave through a designated port; between the two, you can travel freely within the allowed provinces, including across provincial borders.
- 10 days, counted generously: the 240 hours start at 00:00 (midnight) of the day after you enter — so a trip arriving on the 12th and leaving on the 22nd fits.
- 60 designated ports, in and out: you may enter through one designated port and leave through another. Both Changsha Huanghua (CSX) and Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYX) airports are on the list.
- Hunan is fully open to transit travelers: all of Hunan is an allowed stay area, and 23 other provinces too — cross-province travel within them is allowed.
- Tourism, business and family visits are fine. Work, study and journalism still require a visa arranged in advance.
Official reference: visaforchina.cn — 240-hour transit visa-free entry. Questions line: China National Immigration Administration hotline 12367. Last checked: October 2026.
Are you eligible? All four must be true
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1 · You hold a passport from an eligible country.
The UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany and France are all on it. The list started at 54 countries and has been expanded since — don't rely on any summary, check the official list.
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2 · You hold a confirmed onward ticket leaving within 240 hours.
Fixed date and seat, to a third country or region — and it must be booked before you fly. Open tickets don't count, and entry is refused without one.
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3 · Where you start and where you leave to are different.
London → Changsha → Hong Kong works. London → Changsha → London does not. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan all count as different regions from the mainland.
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4 · You enter through a designated port and stay inside the allowed area.
Both Changsha and Zhangjiajie qualify, and all of Hunan is inside the allowed area — which is exactly why our routes work.
Also: your passport needs at least 3 months' validity under the official rule (many airlines ask for 6 — check yours). Meeting all four conditions still leaves the final decision to border inspection — see the myths below.
The rules that trip people up
❌ "Any return ticket will do."
Fact: it must be a confirmed onward ticket — fixed date, fixed seat, booked before you enter. Open or standby tickets are not accepted, and without one border inspection will not process the temporary entry permit.
❌ "Once I land, I can go anywhere."
Fact: you must stay inside the allowed provinces — 24 of them, including all of Hunan. Crossing between those provinces is fine; stepping outside them counts as overstaying and is penalized.
❌ "I meet the rules, so entry is certain."
Fact: the final call belongs to the border inspector. Entry can be refused — a visa-refusal stamp in the passport, immigration violations in the past five years, or missing documents. We prepare your file in advance so there is nothing to argue about at the counter.
❌ "If I run out of time, I'll extend."
Fact: the 240 hours cannot be extended in the normal course. Only exceptional cases — medical emergency, force majeure — can apply for a separate stay permit. Plan your exit inside the window, with margin to spare.
Ports we use: Changsha & Zhangjiajie
These two airports are where our Hunan itineraries begin and end — and both are designated 240-hour ports. Fly into Changsha, out of Zhangjiajie — or the reverse. The policy explicitly allows entering and leaving through different designated ports, and we plan it so your transit qualifies.
| Port | First-year transit arrivals* | Top nationalities* | Notes* |
|---|
| Changsha Huanghua (CSX) | 3,800+ | UK, US, Indonesia | Main international gateway for Hunan |
| Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYX) | 150+ | US, UK, Russia | 99% arrived via Hong Kong or Seoul; average stay ~7 days |
*Hunan border inspection data, first year of the policy. Last checked: October 2026.
What to prepare
- 1 · Passport valid for travel — official minimum 3 months' validity; most airlines want 6.
- 2 · Onward ticket itinerary — confirmed, fixed date and seat, showing your exit within 240 hours.
- 3 · Hotel bookings for every night inside China.
- 4 · Day-by-day itinerary matching your stay window and area.
- 5 · Accommodation registration — hotels register you at check-in automatically; if you stay in a private home, you (or your host) must register with the local police within 24 hours.
Book with us and we prepare items 3–4 for you — consistent with the transit rules, ready to show at the counter.
How PandaTrail makes it easy
- We check your itinerary before you fly, not after you're questioned at the border. If your routing doesn't qualify, we revise it until it does.
- You get a full document pack — hotel confirmations and a day-by-day itinerary that match the 240-hour rules, ready to show at inspection.
- On the ground, one message away: 24-hour English support throughout your trip, including help communicating with border or police officers if you're asked questions.
Check if my trip qualifies
Send us your nationality, where you fly from and where you fly on to. We'll tell you straight whether the 240-hour transit covers your route — and what to change if it doesn't. Free, within 24 hours.
Check if my trip qualifies
Disclaimer: This page is a plain-language planning summary, last checked October 2026. It is not legal advice. Entry policy is set by China's National Immigration Administration and applied by border inspection authorities, whose decisions are final and may change; always confirm with the official sources above or your nearest Chinese embassy/consulate before booking flights.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the 240 hours start counting?
From 00:00 (midnight) of the day after you enter — per China's border inspection authority. Example: enter on the 12th, the clock starts at midnight going into the 13th, and you must leave by the end of the 22nd. In practice that gives you slightly more than ten calendar days.
Do I need to apply for the transit permit in advance?
No advance application is needed — you apply for the temporary entry permit at border inspection when you land. But your documents must be complete before you board: in particular, the confirmed onward ticket must already be booked, because entry is refused without it.
Do children qualify for the 240-hour transit too?
Yes. Eligibility follows nationality, not age. Every traveler — including minors — needs their own passport and their own confirmed onward ticket, and goes through border inspection individually.
I fly Hong Kong → mainland → back to Hong Kong. Does that qualify?
No. Your departure region and onward region must be different — Hong Kong → mainland → Hong Kong is a round trip to the same region. London → Changsha → Hong Kong, by contrast, qualifies.
Can I fly one-way into China and buy my onward ticket later?
No. You need a confirmed onward ticket with a fixed date and seat, booked before you enter China. Open or standby tickets are not accepted, and border inspection can refuse entry without one.
Besides the 240-hour transit, are there other visa-free options for China?
Yes — a separate unilateral visa-free policy lets citizens of a different list of countries enter for up to 30 days without an onward ticket. It is a distinct policy from the 240-hour transit and the two should not be confused. Policies change — last checked October 2026.
Can you promise I will be allowed into China?
No — and no agency can. The final decision rests with the border inspection officer on the day. What we do is make sure your documents and itinerary meet the written rules before you fly, so nothing works against you at the counter.
Is my country on the eligible list?
Most likely if you hold a passport from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea or Singapore — but the list is official, it has been expanded over time, and you should
check the official list rather than trust any summary. Or just ask us with your nationality and route — it's free.
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