China 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit
Stopping in Beijing or Shanghai for several hours or a few days of your international journey? Don't want to apply for a China visa but want to wander around the city? What should you do?
You're in the right place.
You can enjoy China's 144-hour visa-free transit policy.
Which Countries Qualify?
The nationals of 53 countries are eligible for the visa exemption program, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Americans (of 6 countries): the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and the Republic of Chile
European citizens (of 39 countries): Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, and Monaco
Oceanians (of 2 countries): Australia and New Zealand
Asians (of 6 countries): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar
What Regions and Ports Are Visa-Free?
Many famous tourist destinations are included in this policy, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Guangzhou.
| City | The Eligible Transit Ports | Permitted Area of Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Shanghai Pudong International Airport | Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province |
| Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport | ||
| Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal | ||
| Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal | ||
| Shanghai Railway Station | ||
| Nanjing | Nanjing Lukou International Airport | |
| Hangzhou | Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport | |
| Beijing | Beijing Capital International Airport | Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province |
| Beijing West Railway Station* | ||
| Tianjin | Tianjin Binhai International Airport | |
| Tianjin International Cruise Home Port | ||
| Shijiazhuang | Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport | |
| Qinhuangdao | Qinhuangdao Sea Port | |
| Dalian | Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport | Liaoning Province |
| Shenyang | Shenyang Taoxian International Airport | |
| Qingdao | Liuting International Airport and sea ports | Shandong Province |
| Guangzhou | Guangzhou Baiyun Airport | Guangdong Province |
| Shenzhen | Shenzhen Bao'an Airport | |
| Jieyang | Jieyang Chaoshan Airport | |
| Xiamen | Gaoqi International Airport and sea ports | Xiamen City |
| Wuhan | Tianhe International Airport | Wuhan City |
| Chengdu | Shuangliu International Airport | Chengdu City |
| Kunming | Changshui International Airport | Kunming City |
* Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station are two different railway stations. Beijing Railway Station is not a permitted port for the 144-hour visa-free policy. So, you cannot enjoy this policy if you take the following international trains which use Beijing Railway Station: K23: Beijing – Ulaanbaatar; K3 and K19: Beijing – Moscow.
[The entry/exit ports, listed in the table above, may change at any time. Therefore, we always suggest you confirm this information before planning your trip.]
What Are the Rules & Restrictions?
To reduce the risk of denied entry, you should understand the rules and restrictions.
Eligible Transit Route
You should be in transit to a third country or region. That is to say, you can’t book a round-trip ticket from the United States and use the 144-hour transit visa. Your journey should go like this:
Departure country A→ B (one of the allowed areas in mainland China)→C (the third country or region)
It is worth noting that Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can be regarded as A or C in this respect.
Here are examples:
√ USA – Shanghai – Hong Kong
√ UK – Beijing – Japan
× USA – Beijing – USA
No Stopovers in Mainland China
To be eligible for the transit visa, make sure your international flights have no stopovers of any kind within mainland China before arrival or after departure at the port of entry.
You're unable to use the policy if your journey is along the lines of: UK – Beijing – Shanghai – Hong Kong.
Permitted Area of Movement
The visa-free areas are separate. You have to stay within the permitted region and not travel out of it at all. You must arrive, move about and depart all within the same region. For example, you cannot make a trip from Beijing to Shanghai on the same transit visa trip.
If you arrive in Shanghai, you can tour around Shanghai and then Hangzhou, and then depart from Hangzhou as both of them are in the same visa-free region.
Three Types of Transport
This visa-free policy is not limited to air passengers but also applies to train and cruise passengers. For example, you can arrive at a Shanghai cruise port and leave from an airport.
What Documents Are Needed?
You need to provide the documents listed below to apply for the 144-hour visa-free transit:
- Valid passport
- onward tickets to a third country (region) with confirmed date and seat
- Visa for a third country/region (if needed)
- Arrival and departure cards (completely filled in)
144-Hour Transit in 5 Steps
1) Inform your carrier of your intent to use 144-hour TWOV, and acquire your onward ticket before travel.
2) Fill in arrival and departure cards (available on flights).
3) At the dedicated counter for 144-hour visa-free transit at your arrival port, provide the immigration officer with your documents.
4) Claim your luggage, go through customs, and exit the airport, as you would with a visa.
5) Leave from a designated port as normal before midnight on the sixth full day, handing in your completed departure card at immigration.
How Are the 144 Hours Calculated?
The 144 hours start from 00:00 on the day after entry. That is to say, it's possible to have more time than 144 hours if you can find suitable transport.
For example, if you enter Shanghai at 6 am on June 1st; your 144 hours starts from 00:00 on June 2nd, and you can stay until 23:59 on June 7th.
[Please note that some airports have their own special regulations about how they count these hours: from airplane touchdown, or from midnight, or from when they issue the visa-free travel permit in the airport. So find out in advance about the specific airport regulations. ]
If you are unable to depart on time due to unavoidable reasons, such as flight cancellation, you must apply for a visa from the Municipal Public Security Bureau. To avoid this don’t cut it too close.
[Note: Your application for the 144-hour visa-free transit may be refused to the following situations: 1) Your travel documents are valid for less than 3 months at the time of entry; 2) Your route does not qualify; 3) You lack any of the required documents listed above; 4) You have Chinese visa refusal stamps in their passports.
The above information was updated on Sep 19th, 2019. The situation changes on a daily basis. Please double-check when you plan your tour.]
Take a Visa-Free Transit Tour with Us
Touring Shanghai with China HighlightsA 144-hour visa-free tour to China has become a reality. We can customize a tour for you to make the most of your time. Just let us know your interests and requirements.
Here are our most popular Shanghai and Beijing area tours, for inspiration:
- 2-Day Shanghai and Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour: Visit the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, the Shanghai Tower, and Zhujiajiao Water Town
- Private 4-Day Emperor's Tour of Beijing — taking you to explore the emperors' Forbidden City, walk along the Great Wall, and relax at the Summer Palace
