01、24-hour visa-free transit
A foreigner who transits from China on an international aircraft, ship or train with a combined passenger ticket for a third country or region and stays within China for not more than 24 hours and does not leave the port of entry may be exempted from obtaining a visa, however, a temporary entry permit must be applied to the exit and entry frontier inspection authorities.
In other words, in almost all of China’s international airports, foreigners are not restricted nationality, except for special circumstances cannot enter the country, as long as do not leave the airport, can enjoy 24-hour visa-free transit.
Those who are not allowed to enter the country under the provisions of laws and administrative regulations.
Those whose passports or other international travel documents have been valid for less than three months, or have been stamped by the visa authorities with their signatures refused.
Those with records of illegal entry, exit, illegal residence or illegal employment within five years.
Any violation of the provisions of the registration of accommodation within 2 years and the circumstances are serious.
02、72-hour visa-free transit
Unlike the 24-hour visa-free transit, the 72-hour visa-free transit limits airports and nationality, and only citizens of the following 53 countries are granted the 72-hour visa-free transit (currently suspended in South Korea, so only 52 countries):
European Schengen visa agreement countries (24): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Other European countries (15): Russia, Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Monaco, Belarus.
Americas (6): United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand.
Asian countries (6): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, Qatar.
The 72-hour transit visa exemption also limits the airport. The 72-hour visa exemption can be enjoyed at only three airports. At the same time, passengers cannot leave the specified scope of activities in brackets.
Guilin Liangjiang (Guilin City)
Harbin Taiping (Harbin City)
Changsha Huanghua (Hunan Province)
At the same time, passengers need to hold a 72-hour confirmed date and seat to the third country (region) connecting tickets. For example, a traveler planning a route of “US-Xiamen-Hong Kong” was eligible for 72-hour visa-free travel, while a traveler planning for “US-Xiamen-US” is not allowed to enjoy 72-hour visa-free travel. That is to say, as long as the departure and final destination of passengers are not the same country (region), they can enjoy 72-hour visa-free.
Passengers who meet the 72-hour transit visa-free conditions shall apply to the relevant airlines, and the airlines or passengers shall declare to the border inspection authority in person. The border inspection authority shall allow them to enter the country temporarily if they meet the conditions for transit visa-free conditions after examination.
03、144-hour visa-free transit
The 144-hour visa-free and 72-hour visa-free are much the same, except at different ports of entry. The 144-hour visa-free period covers the following ports and areas of activities. Visitors are not allowed to leave the areas of activities in brackets.
Shanghai Pudong Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai railway station, Port of Shanghai International Passenger Transport Centre, Wusongkou International Cruise Port, Nanjing Lukou Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, Ningbo Lishe Airport (Shanghai City, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang province)
Beijing capital Airport, Beijing West railway station, Tianjin Binhai Airport, Tianjin cruise home port, Shijiazhuang Zhengding Airport, Qinhuangdao Seaports (Beijing City, Tianjin City, Hebei province)
Shenyang Taoxian Airport, Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport (Liaoning Province)
Xiamen Gaoqi Airport, Xiamen Wutong Wharf (Xiamen City)
Qingdao Jiaodong Airport, Qingdao Wharf (Shandong Province)
Wuhan Tianhe Airport (Wuhan City)
Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (started as Chengdu City and expanded to 111 cities including Chengdu, Leshan, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya’an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou and Yibin)
Kunming Changshui Airport (Kunming City)
Ningbo Lishe Airport (incorporated into the scope of activities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai)
Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Shenzhen Baoan Airport, Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport (Guangdong province)
Xi’an Xianyang Airport (Xi’an, Xianyang)
Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (Chongqing city)
Besides, it has realized regional and port linkage in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and the Yangtze River Delta. For example, if you enter China via Shanghai, you can visit the scenic spots in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou and then leave the country in six days (within 144 hours).
Summary
24-hour visa-free for citizens of all countries, applicable to all international airports in China.
72-hour visa-free for citizens of 53 countries (now not open to South Korean), applicable to Changsha, Guilin, Harbin, each airport has a designated area of activity.
144-hour visa-free for citizens of 51 countries, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, a total of 20 cities, 27 ports.
04、What is needed for visa-free transit？
Step 1
Hold international travel documents valid for more than 3 months, book a connecting ticket to a third country (region) within 72/144 hours and then go to the designated port.
Step 2
Complete the Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners.
Step 3
Find the transit visa-free zone and get a temporary entry permit.
