Live · verified 2026-11-09
240-hour visa-free transit: what the NIA pages say
Waibaidu Bridge over Suzhou Creek, Shanghai · Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0
Last verified by Shanghai Private Tours team, from the National Immigration Administration pages listed below.
| Place | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | Visa-freeVisa-free | 57 countries on the 20 Aug 2026 page (55 on the 3 Nov 2025 notice; the later page adds Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam). |
| United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Mexico | Visa-freeVisa-free | All named on both the 2025 and 2026 pages. |
| India and Nigeria | Not coveredNot covered | Not named on either page. |
| Stay limit | Visa-freeVisa-free | No more than 10 days (240 hours), counted from 0:00 on the day after entry. |
| Onward ticket | Conditions applyConditions apply | Ordinary passport and an onward ticket with confirmed seats and departure dates to a third country or region. Travel document valid at least 3 months (Nov 2025 notice). |
| Ports and provinces | Visa-freeVisa-free | 65 ports in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang were already among the original provinces (Dec 2024 notice). |
| Permitted stay areas for Suzhou and Hangzhou 苏州 · 杭州 | Not confirmedNot confirmed | The map of permitted areas is an image on the NIA pages and could not be read, so we confirm the stay area before planning a day trip. |
| Work, study, news reporting | Not coveredNot covered | Still require prior approval and an appropriate visa. |
Good to know
- The older 144-hour rule for Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang is described on an NIA page of 3 July 2024. The notice of 19 December 2024 extends stays from the previous 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours.
- The Nov 2025 notice asks transit travellers to fill in the arrival card for temporary entry, which can be done online.
- This page reports official notices. It is not immigration advice. Confirm your situation with the Chinese Embassy or your airline.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration: Visa-Free Transit Policies, 20 Aug 2026
- National Immigration Administration: Announcement on implementing 10 new measures, 3 Nov 2025
- National Immigration Administration: Visa-Free Transit Policy Fully Relaxed and Optimized, 19 Dec 2024
Rules can change at short notice. Confirm with the Chinese Embassy or consulate for your passport before you book.
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