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72-Hour Visa-Free Transit in China

 The 72-hour visa-free transit has been resumed from January 8th, 2023 on, after being suspended for 3 years because of the covid-19.
Visa Free Transit Service
Transit Service Counter
in Beijing Capital Airport

The 72-hour visa-free transit policy in China allows air passengers from 53 countries to transit and stay for up to 72 hours (3 days) in 18 China cities without a visa. In order to facilitate international visitors' short stay in China, the policy is promising to be carried out in more and more cities in the future.
 

Qualified Countries

24 Schengen Agreement Countries: 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

15 Other European Countries: Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia (FYROM), Albania, Belarus, Monaco

6 American Countries: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile

2 Oceania Countries: Australia, New Zealand

6 Asian Countries: Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar
 

Cities Enjoying the Policy

Harbin, Guilin, Changsha

Beijing, Tianjin, ShanghaiXi'anChongqing, Shenyang, Dalian, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xiamen, Qingdao, Kunming, the whole Guangdong Province - Extended to 144-hour Visa-free Transit
 

Areas Allowed to Stay

 Cities only with the 72-hour free entry policy:

Passengers transiting in Changsha are allowed to travel in the whole province.

Passengers transiting in  Harbin and Guilin cannot leave the transit city.


 Cities where the 72 hours scheme has been extended to 144-hour transit without visa (TWOV):

Passengers transiting in Shanghai, Zhejiang, or Jiangsu can move around the three places. With the implementation of the 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy, they can actually stay for as long as 144 hours.

Passengers transiting in Xi'an Xianyang Airport are permitted to travel in Xi'an and Xianyang.

Passengers transiting in Guangdong can travel around the whole province.

Passengers transiting in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei can also move around the three places freely for 144 hours.

Passengers stopping over in Dalian or Shenyang can travel in the whole of Liaoning Province.

Passengers transiting in Chengdu, Kunming, Wuhan, Chongqing or Xiamen cannot leave the transit city.

Passengers transiting in Qingdao are allowed to move freely within the whole Shandong Province for 144 hours. 
 

Recommended Tours for Transit Passengers in Different Cities

 

Conditions for Application

1. The confirmed seat onward ticket and valid visa to a third country or region (if required) are needed for entry. Based on the latest information, the 72 hours starts from 00:00 the day following the entry date in almost all the airports, except Beijing Airport. For example, if an air passenger arrives in Guangzhou at 08:00 on June 2nd, then the latest time for him to leave is 23:59 on June 5. In this case, the actual stopover time is more than 72 hours. However, in Beijing, the 72 hours count from the scheduled arrival time of the flight. To play on the safe side, passengers are recommended to be more conservative and not to exceed the "strict 72 hours" which counts from the flights' scheduled arrival time to the departure time.

2. The flights can only stop in one Chinese city, meaning passengers have to enter and exit from the same city, except in cities where the 144-hour visa-free transit has been implemented. For instance, if a flight lands in Xi'an via Beijing, passengers are not able to enjoy the policy. In addition, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are regarded as a third region in terms of transit issues. If a flight passes USA – Beijing – Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan, passengers are able to enjoy.

3. Only use flights to transfer in China. Passengers using other vehicles (including using flight for single trip) are not eligible to enjoy the policy.

4. Passengers are required to leave from the same airport that they arrive, except in some of the cities with 144-hour visa-free transit scheme where they may enter or leave from land or sea ports.
 

Documents for Application

 Passport valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry. Actually there are cases that some passengers are denied at the immigration counter because the remaining validity of their passport is not more than 6 months, so it's better to keep your passport valid for at least 6 months to play safe.
 Visa for a third country or region (if applicable)
 A full completed Arrival/Departure Card (including name, nationality, passport no., visa no. & issuance place, flight no., purpose of visit, date of birth, gender)
 An onward ticket with confirmed seat are needed
 

Procedure

Inform the airlines when boarding – Fill an Arrival/Departure Card on the flight - Apply the 72-hour permit – Claim the luggage – Go through the custom - Leave airport

 Tips:
Visa Free Direction Board
Direction Boards for 72-hour Special Counter

1. It is necessary to inform the airline at check-in, so that they can declare your request to the airport custom before landing. Passengers transiting via Beijing Capital International Airport can apply for this free transit permit after arrival.

2. There is a special counter/lane for the 72-hour free transit at the immigration, so passengers can go there directly by following the signs. For example, the immigration channels 2 to 4 are for 72-hour TWOV passengers in Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

3. After the request to enjoy the 72-hour China TWOV is approved, the officer will stamp a stay permit on your passport. The duration of stay is written on the passport. Remember to tell the officer that one wants to use the 72-hour free transit if he/she already has a valid visa for China.

4. After leaving the airport, remember to register at local police station within 24 hours of arrival if one wants to stay over 24 hours. Those who live with family or friends need to go to register in person at the police station with relatives or friends. Those who live in hotels do not need to go, because the hotels will do it for the guests.

5. If visitors are unable to depart on time due to unavoidable reasons, such as flight cancellation or treatment of sudden disease, they need to apply for a visa from Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB). Otherwise, tourists cannot apply for an extension of stay.
 

Difference between 72-Hour Visa-Free Transit and 24-Hour Visa-Free Transit

Direct Transit within 24 hours is available for any nationality passenger and it is applicable to any vehicle, while the 72-hour Free Transit is only possible for passengers from designated countries and requires to transit in the airport.

Two pictures are helpful to make you clear.

24-Hour Direct Transit 72-Hour Free Transit
 

Other Services for Free Transit

There are service centers for transit passengers in the terminals, offering rest places with drinking water and reading materials if they do not want to leave the airport. For visa-free transit passengers, the airports also provide services for currency exchange, mobile phone rental, car rental, left luggage, as well as local souvenir shops. Tour buses are available from the terminals for the convenience of tourists.

 Read FAQ about 72-hour Visa-free Transit

 Note:
In case that 1) you can't provide any of the required documents listed above, 2) or your flight route does not qualify, 3) or you have the record of overstaying in a country or getting visa refusal before, your application for the 72-hour visa-free transit permit may be refused. For fear of troubles caused by such cases, please make sure that you are eligible or apply for a regular transit visa in advance. 

- Last updated on Sep. 07, 2023 by Catherine He -
Questions & Answers on 72-Hour Visa-Free Transit
Asked by Ed from UNITED KINGDOM | Sep. 21, 2023 06:36Reply
72 hour transit visa eligible
Hi, I am attending a conference in Shanghai on 8 November. If I arrive from London on 7 November and return to London via any other country on 9 November am I eligible for the 72 hour transit visa? Thanks!
Asked by Toby from UNITED KINGDOM | Sep. 20, 2023 06:05Reply
London Heathrow to Hanoi. Shenzhen layover- 6 hours
Im flying from Heathrow to Hanoi with a Shezhen layover of 6 hours.

Do I need to apply for a visa for this either beforehand or at the airport?
Is there anything else I need to know as I have never flown through China before and can see that Shezhen does not do the 24 hr visa

Many thanks
Answers (1)
Answered by Flora | Sep. 21, 2023 01:39
00Reply


In fact, Shenzhen now is eligible for the 24-hour visa-free transit and you don't need any visa.
Asked by maddalena from ITALY | Sep. 20, 2023 01:18Reply
Kindly check itinerary
Hi morning, I have the following itinerary
23oct Bologna transit Dubai Shanhai stop over of 60hrs
26oct a separate ticket Shangai Hong Kong
27oct Hong Kong Dubai Bologna
1st ticket Bologna x/Dubai Shangai //Honk Kong x/Dubai Bologna
2nd ticket Shangai Hong Kong
....Am I eligible to 72/144 Hrs transit visa ? THANKS
Answers (1)
Answered by Edward | Sep. 21, 2023 00:31
00Reply


Yes, your itinerary is eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit.
Asked by Karki Bhesh Bahadur from NEPAL | Sep. 19, 2023 04:51Reply
Do I need transit visa travelling through china to nepal from japan
I am travelled from japan to nepal transit through china.Do I need a transit visa for travel?
Answers (1)
Answered by Borut | Sep. 20, 2023 00:51
00Reply


No, you don't if your entire travel time through China is not longer than 24 hours counting from your first landing (strictly scheduled time) in China and until the last departure (strictly scheduled time) from China. If your entire transit time in China is longer than 24 hours by just 1 minute, then you need a transit visa obtained in advance.

Please, have in mind that you cannot use the following airports when transiting on 24 hour visa free transit scheme:

Fuzhou Changle Airport
Huangshan Tunxi Airport
Mudanjiang Hailang Airport
Yanji Chaoyangchuan Airport
Shenzhen Baoan International Airport

If you do not use these airports and your entire transit time is less than 24 hours, you will be covered by 24 hour visa free transit scheme and you do not need any kind of visa.
Asked by Jacqueline from USA | Sep. 18, 2023 07:12Reply
72 hour transit visa eligible?
Hi, Would the following itinerary be valid to receive a 72 hour transit visa:

US > Seoul (ICN) arrive 5:20am on Oct 19 > connect to flight to PEK which arrives 9:40am
Stay overnight in Beijing
Friday Oct 20 depart Beijing at 4:20pm to Tokyo/Haneda

thank you!
Answers (3)
Answered by Borut | Sep. 19, 2023 09:09
00Reply


Yes, your itinerary is eligible for 144 hour visa free transit without any doubt, but please, be certain that your flight from Beijing to Tokyo does not have any kind of landing within South Korea.

Jacqueline, you are informed that it is not 72, but 144 hour visa free transit in Beijing area because 72 hours were replaced with 144 hours there, years ago.

Also, please, use correct terminology because it is not transit visa, but visa free transit, so there is no visa of any kind.
Answered by Jacqueline | Sep. 20, 2023 06:39
00Reply


Hello Borut, Thank you kindly for your response! And for your advice on the correct wording regarding Visa Free Transit. I'm assuming that an eligible transfer would also be:
US > Hong Kong > connect to PEK thurs 10/19, apply for the 144 hr visa free transit, stay in Beijing until fri 10/20 & fly onto Tokyo/Haneda.
Thank you!!
Answered by Borut | Sep. 21, 2023 00:04
00Reply


Yes, It is very important to be very precise because only the immediate points before and after your mainland Chinese destination matter. So, in your case, we are talking about Hong Kong and Tokyo or in other words:

Hong Kong - Beijing - Tokyo

Everything before and after the segment I have mentioned, is irrelevant. By the way, this itinerary is definitely eligible.
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