144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in China

In order to allow international travelers more time to arrange their layover tours, China has implemented a 144-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens from 53 countries.

 

What are the application requirements?

1. Available for citizens of the listed 53 countries below. Your passport should be valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry.
2. Citizens should with valid international travel documents (passport & visa if required) and the confirmed international connection ticket(within 144 hours stop-over in Chinese mainland) to the 3rd country or region.
3. You must be a transit passenger to a third country or region.
4. You must stay in the allowed area. For example, you can not have a trip from Beijing to Xi’an or Shanghai.

 

* Note: In one of the following situations, passengers are not allowed to apply for 144-hour visa-free transit.

1. Entry is prohibited in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
2. The validity period of the passport or other international travel documents is within three months or there is a rejection stamp on the visa.
3. Those who have violated the accommodation registration and caused serious incidents in China over the past two years.
4. Those who have illegal entry and exit, illegal residence, and illegal employment records within 5 years.

 

Which cities or provinces in China have implemented this policy?

 

Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei Province

 

Name of port:

Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station

Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port

Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport, Qinhuangdao Port

 

Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province

 

Name of port:

Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, Shanghai Railway Station

Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, Ningbo Lishe Airport

Nanjing Lukou International Airport

Note: In Shanghai, international visa-free passengers are allowed to enter and exit from all ports above and could visit around Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu within 144 hours.

 

Liaoning Province

 

Name of port:

Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport

Note: Travelers are allowed to move around the whole province from either of the two ports.

 

Shenzhen, Chaoshan, and Guangzhou

 

Name of port:

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Note: Passengers can travel within the whole Guangdong Province.

 

Qingdao

 

Name of port:

Qingdao Liuting International Airport, Qingdao Port

Note: Passengers qualifying under the 144-hour visa-free transit are permitted to stay in the whole Shandong Province.

 

Chengdu

 

Name of port:

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Note: Passengers can travel around 11 cities in Sichuan Province, including Chengdu, Ya’an, Leshan, Yibin, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou.

 

Xiamen

 

Name of port:

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen Port

 

Kunming

 

Name of port:

Kunming Changshui International Airport

 

Wuhan

 

Name of port:

Wuhan Tianhe International Airport

 

Xi’an

 

Name of port:

Xi’an Xianyang International Airport

 

Chongqing

 

Name of port:

Chongqing Jiangbei Airport, Wanzhou Wuqiao Airport

 

How to apply for a 144-hour visa-free transit in China?

1. Before boarding, please inform the carrier that you intend to apply for a 144-Hour Visa-free Transit
2. Fill an Arrival / Departure Card
3. Obtain a 144-hour visa-free stay permit at the dedicated counter
4. Pick up your luggage and go through customs
5. Leave the airport for the area you are permitted to travel around.

 

How to calculate the 144-hour visa-free transit?

 

The 144-hour visa-free transit starts at 00:00 a.m. the next day after your entry. That is, you will actually be allowed to stay longer than 144 hours.

 

For example, if you arrive at 10:00 am on March 8, 2022, the layover time starts at 0:00 on March 9. This way, you can stay for up to 158 hours.

 

Q&A About the 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit

 

Q: If I get permission for 144 hours visa-free but fails to depart within 144 hours due to special reason, what should I do?

 

A: If you are unable to leave the country in time due to force majeure, you need to apply for a visa at the local public security bureau before leaving the country.

 

Q: Can I fly from my homeland to the Chinese mainland, stay there for 144 hours, and then fly back to my country without a Chinese visa?

 

A: Travelers in that case can not apply for visa-free transit. According to regulation, the 144-hour visa-free transit application is only applied to the qualified 53 country travelers who fly from one country and after staying in the Chinese mainland fly to a 3rd country or region.

 

Q: If I arrive in the Chinese mainland with a single entry flight ticket, but I plan to purchase a departure ticket after arrival, can I apply for the 144-hour visa-free transit?

 

A: The round-way international connecting flight ticket (within 144 hours after the arrival) is a must for application. Travelers with single journey tickets will be refused.