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Do I Need A Visa for Guangzhou If Traveling from Hong Kong?

Generally speaking, most people are supposed to apply for visit visa in advance if traveling to Guangzhou from Hong Kong. According to various visiting purposes, including sightseeing, business conducting and friends meeting, the corresponding visas of tourist L or business M type are required for Guangzhou trip.

Don’t know if you need a visa for Guangzhou from Hong Kong? Please check whether you are qualified for any of the following 7 visa exemption cases:

1. Aliens from most countries enjoy 24-hour visa-free transit from Hong Kong to Guangzhou.

No visa will be needed if you are qualified for 24-hour visa-free transit in Guangzhou. Passengers going to a third country or region after transiting in Guangzhou within 24 hours qualify for the free transit policy. For example, if you travel from Hong Kong and intend to go to another country or region instead of HK, and your layover time in Guangzhou is under 24 hours, you can enjoy the 24-hour transit without visa (TWOV). In this case, you don’t need to apply for visa.

2. Travelers from 53 countries enjoy 144-hour visa-free transit.

Travelers from 53 countries such as USA, UK and France are able to apply for the 144-hour TWOV if they transit in Guangzhou for less than 144 hours. The 144 hours TWOV enables people to leave the transit area and enter the city for sightseeing.

Please note: Hong Kong – Guangzhou – Hong Kong is not a qualified transit, so if you come from HK and leave Guangzhou for HK, you should apply for a visa before your departure.

3. 6-Day visa-free for group tourists from Hong Kong to Guangzhou

If your country has established diplomatic relations with China, and you enter Guangzhou escorted by a Hong Kong tourist group, you are entitled to 6 days visa exemption. The cities of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Zhaoqing, and Huizhou can be visited, too.

4. Japanese, Singaporean, Bruneian and Qatari staying in Guangzhou for no more than 15 or 30 days

If traveling with Japanese, Singaporean or Bruneian passport, and the total layover time is under 15 days, you don’t need to apply for visa for Guangzhou. The reason is that all the citizens of the three countries are qualified to enjoy 15-day visa-free entry to mainland China. Qatar citizens are exempted from visa for 30 day. Thus, there is no need for Qataris to apply for visa for traveling Guangzhou within one month.

5. APEC Business Travel Card holders

If you travel with a valid APEC Business Travel Card, the visit visa is not required when you pass through the immigration authority between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Considered as a three-year visa with multiple entries, the APEC card will allow you to enter China for many times within its validity, and each duration is no more than 2 months.

6. Traveling to Guangzhou with Chinese residence permit

Chinese visa is not required for travelers entering Guangzhou with valid Chinese residence permit (including permanent residence permit, aka Chinese green card). The Chinese exit and entry administration of the local public security bureau will issue the residence permit to those entering China holding X1 visa, Z visa, Q1 visa, J1 visa, S1 visa and D visa after their entry. With this permit, they can exit and enter mainland China for multiple times without applying visa.

7. Diplomatic, service or official passport holders

According to mutual visa-exemption agreements, the diplomatic, service or official passport holders from some foreign countries enjoy visa exemption after their entry to Guangzhou from Hong Kong.

Further Reading:

- Last updated on Oct. 09, 2022 -

Questions & Answers on Do I Need A Visa for Guangzhou If Traveling from Hong Kong?

Asked by Chariza from PHILIPPINES | Mar. 25, 2023 22:45

Im traveling from Philippines to hongkong then hongkong to guangzhou, Guangzhou to hongkong

I have Philippine passport, I want to travel to hongkong and go to guangzhou and stay for 5days there, and back to hongkong then back to Philippines, do I need a tourist visa for that?

Answers (1)

Answered by Kathy | Mar. 27, 2023 19:36

Yes, you need to apply for a visa in advance.

Asked by Bessie Loh from SINGAPORE | Mar. 17, 2023 05:38

China visa for tourism

Hi, I am a 74 year old Singaporean female. Do I need a tourist visa to Guangzhou, China? At most I will be staying for around 5 days or shorter.

Answers (1)

Answered by Scott | Mar. 19, 2023 20:44

Singapore passport holders can stay in China for up to 15 days. But after the outbreak of covid-19, the policy has been suspended and it seems it has not been lifted yet. You are advised to contact China embassy in Singapore for more details. If it has not been lifted, you need to apply for a visa.

Asked by okesamuel95 from NIGERIA | Oct. 06, 2022 08:55

Please do I need Hongkong Transit visa to travel from Nigeria to mainland China via Hongkong airport

Answers (1)

Answered by Bruce | Oct. 09, 2022 22:34

No, you needn't. But do not leave the transit area.

Asked by ROCEL DAYRIT from PHILIPPINES | Dec. 30, 2019 22:59

Philippine-hongkong-guangzhou-hongkong

Hi, i have philippine passport and traveling to hk and would like to go to guangzhou and back to hongkong..can we ride the train and get visa in the port?

Answers (1)

Answered by Aimee | Dec. 31, 2019 01:40

No, you need to have Chinese visa in advance. The train does not support visa on arrival.

Asked by J.Navarro from PHILIPPINES | Nov. 30, 2019 01:20

It is possible to have 48hrs visa from h.k. to guangzhou back to phils.

Im from Philippines going to Macau then we will go to h.k. for disneyland. From hongkong we want to visit guangzhou and from there we will go back to Phils. From this itenerary it is possible we can get 48hrs. Visa free

Answers (1)

Answered by Teena | Dec. 03, 2019 22:01

Firstly there is no 48hrs visa free, there are only 24hrs, 72hrs and 144hrs visa free. Then, for 24hrs direct transit, it is a little risky since you might be denied at the customs. As for 72 and 144 hrs visa free, you need to have a flight from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, train is not ok.

But for the exactly policy, you'd better to consult the local Chinese embassy or consulate for the