Mainland China · Entry decision
Do You Need a Visa to Transit Through China?
Get the entry path for your transit: an ordinary visa-free rule, 24-hour transit, 240-hour transit — or a clear visa requirement.
Resolved in order
Ordinary visa-free rules are checked first, then the 24-hour and 240-hour transit rules. Extra questions appear only when they can change the result.
China transit visa checker
Find your entry path
Start with your passport and trip type. We only ask for more when it changes the result.
What was checked and matches
Why no visa-free path applied
What to do next
Official sources used for this result are listed below.
Do I need to apply for a China transit visa in advance?
Not necessarily. First check whether your trip fits an ordinary visa-free entry rule, 24-hour visa-free transit, or 240-hour visa-free transit. A search for “how to apply for a China transit visa” does not by itself mean that you need to apply for one.
When your answers are enough to resolve a path, this checker names it. When one remaining detail can still change the answer, it asks for that detail instead of leaving the result open.
24-hour transit: can I leave the airport?
Not automatically. Staying inside the port’s restricted transit area may fit the direct 24-hour visa-free transit path. If you intend to leave that area, a temporary entry permit from immigration inspection is required first, and requesting one does not guarantee approval.
Check the official 24-hour transit guidance and confirm the practical process with your carrier and port.
24-hour transit vs 240-hour transit
24-hour transit is the short direct-transit path. The 240-hour route can allow a longer stop for eligible ordinary-passport travelers, but the exact check depends on the onward country or region, ticket, passport, dates, and designated port.
Check a Beijing 240-hour itineraryPlan your visit
- 01Ministry of Foreign Affairs — FAQs on unilateral visa-free entry (50 countries, validity dates, 30-day stay)
- 02China Consular Service — unilateral visa-free FAQs (same 50-country baseline)
- 03National Immigration Administration — details of mutual visa-exemption agreements
- 04National Immigration Administration — regional visa-free entry policies
- 05National Immigration Administration — 24-hour and 240-hour visa-free transit policy interpretation
- 06National Immigration Administration — Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam added to 240-hour transit (effective August 20, 2026)
- 07Beijing Government — 240-hour visa-free transit and Beijing airports
- 08China Consular Service — Visa Application Instructions
Policy sources checked September 15, 2026. Rules, validity dates, and port arrangements can change. Final admission and permit decisions rest with Chinese immigration authorities.