240-hour transit vs 30-day visa-free entry
Both let you enter China without a visa, so travellers tend to treat them as interchangeable. They are not: one has a route requirement and a limited area, the other has neither.
Here is how to tell which one you are actually using.
Side by side
| 30-day visa-free entry | 240-hour transit | |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Passports from 50 countries | Passports from 57 countries |
| Stay | Up to 30 days | Up to 240 hours (10 days) |
| Route requirement | None | Must be A → China → B |
| Onward ticket | Return ticket recommended | Confirmed third-country ticket required |
| Where you can travel | Anywhere in China | Designated area around entry port |
| Work / study / reporting | Not allowed | Not allowed |
The simple decision rule
- Passport on the 30-day list? Use the 30-day entry. It is strictly more permissive — ignore the transit scheme entirely.
- Not on the list, but flying onward to another country? Use the transit scheme.
- Not on the list, and flying home the same way? You need a visa.
- Only visiting Hainan? Use the Hainan scheme, which covers 61 countries.
The mistake that costs people their trip
A traveller with a qualifying passport books a one-way ticket into Shanghai and plans to sort out the return later. At check-in, the airline sees no onward booking and refuses boarding — not because the traveller needed a visa, but because the airline cannot verify they will be allowed in.
Airlines are liable for carrying passengers who are refused entry, so they screen harder than the border does. Always have the return or onward ticket issued before you fly.
What if you qualify for both?
Use the 30-day visa-free entry. It has no route requirement, no stay area, and twice the duration. There is no advantage to entering under the transit scheme when you already hold a qualifying passport.
Frequently asked
Can I enter on the transit scheme if my passport is on the 30-day list?+
Technically the transit scheme is available to eligible nationalities, but there is no reason to use it. The 30-day entry gives you more time and fewer restrictions.
Do I need to tell the officer which scheme I am using?+
You complete an arrival card and state your purpose. For transit, the officer checks your onward ticket. Being clear about your intended route avoids problems.
What happens if my onward ticket is to the country I came from?+
That is a return trip, not transit, and the transit scheme does not apply. If your passport is not on the 30-day list, you would need a visa.
Check your own passport
The guides explain the rules. The checker applies them to your nationality and shows the exact date your policy runs to.
Visa rules by nationality
The 30-day visa-free policy covers 18+ of these nationalities. Pick yours:
Read next
Do you need a visa for China?
Short answer: most travellers from Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea and Brazil do not need a visa for a trip of up to 30 days in 2026. Here is how to check in under a minute.
China’s 240-hour visa-free transit, explained
Ten days in China without a visa, if your itinerary is A → China → B. Here are the exact rules on tickets, ports, stay areas and what counts as transit.
Where can you actually go on a 240-hour transit?
Your transit stay area depends on the port you land at, not on the visa policy. Here is how the areas work and how to plan a ten-day route that stays legal.
This guide is compiled from publications by China’s National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese visa application centres. Entry decisions rest with the border inspection authority. Confirm your own case with your airline and the nearest Chinese embassy before booking.