The 10-day visa-free policy is also called the 240-hour visa-free policy. With this policy, you can take an international flight or cruise to 24 eligible regions of China without a visa and stay for up to 10 days, and then continue your journey to a third country. This means China is not your final destination but a stopover on your journey. During these 10 days, you can travel across provincial boundaries within the 24 eligible regions and enjoy a visa-free tour.

Here are a few examples to help you quickly understand this policy:

• Itinerary #1: U.S. - Beijing - Guilin - Hong Kong √ Valid.
• Itinerary #2: Hong Kong - Beijing - Guilin - Hong Kong × Invalid.
• Itinerary #3: Hong Kong - Guilin - Hong Kong × Invalid.
• Itinerary #4: U.S. - Beijing - Shanghai - Korea. √ Valid.
• Itinerary #5: U.S. - Beijing - Zhangjiajie - Shanghai - Japan. √ Valid.

Find more valid visa-free itineraries here: More visa-free China tours

The Forbidden City in Beijing

You are eligible for the transit visa-free policy if you are from the following 54 countries or hold a passport from one of these countries:

• 3 countries in North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico
• 3 countries in South America: Brazil, Argentina, and Chile
• 40 countries in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, and Norway
• 2 countries in Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
• 6 countries in Asia: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar

Currently, China has established 24 transit visa-free areas, which permit entry through 60 specific ports. These 24 areas cover China's top tourist cities, such as Beijing and Xi'an for history, Zhangjiajie for landscapes, Shanghai for modernity, Yunnan for ethnic cultures, and Chengdu, home of giant pandas.

Beyond the popular cities, Northern China's visa-free areas are also worth visiting. These cities tend to have fewer tourists but offer beautiful scenery and unique local cultures.

Southern China offers more natural scenery, including Huangshan, West Lake in Hangzhou, and Suzhou, the "Venice of the East." Guizhou also offers rich ethnic culture, with Miao and Shui villages to explore.

China's transit visa-free policy differs from the visa-free entry policy in certain aspects. Generally speaking, the visa-free entry policy covers a wider area and allows for a longer stay. However, the countries eligible for visa-free entry do not fully overlap with those eligible for visa-free transit. The specifics are listed below:

• Have an onward ticket to the next country with a confirmed date and seat for departure within 10 days.
• Fill out the Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners at the port.
• Make sure your passports have a validity of at least 3 months.

Counting starts at 12 am on the second day of your arrival. For example, if your flight arrives in Beijing at 14:00 on October 1, but the count does not start until 00:00 on October 2. You may have more hours for sightseeing in China until the last minute on October 11. However, if there is any delay in your departure time to the next country, applying for an extension for your stay is required.

No. Tibet is not on the list of 24 eligible regions for visa-free transit. However, if you're eligible for the visa-free entry policy, we can assist you in applying for a Tibet Travel Permit because individual travelers cannot visit Tibet alone.