What the 240-hour policy covers
China's 240-hour transit visa exemption allows eligible travellers to enter through selected ports and stay for up to 240 hours, or 10 days, without a visa. The policy has been expanded twice since it took effect on 17 December 2024. The source article says the current version covers 57 countries, 65 ports and 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, including Shanghai.
The 57 countries are grouped into 40 in Europe, 6 in the Americas, 2 in Oceania and 9 in Asia. The list includes the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the UAE. Ports increased from 60 to 65, and eligible travellers may move within the approved region rather than staying only in the city where they entered.
This is a transit exemption, not a general tourist visa. It is designed for travellers who are passing through China on the way to a third country or region. Check your nationality, arrival port and onward route before booking.
Eligibility checklist
The source article lists these conditions together; missing one can make the exemption unavailable:
- Hold an ordinary passport.
- Hold a confirmed onward connecting ticket with a seat and date, departing for a third country or region within 240 hours.
- Enter through one of the 65 designated ports.
- Stay within the approved region and leave before the 240-hour period ends.
The 240 hours are counted from midnight on the day after entry. The article notes that a separate 24-hour direct transit rule exists at all international ports, but that rule applies only if you remain inside the transit area. If you want to leave the port area, you need a temporary entry permit.
Airline and border-inspection staff make the final assessment. Confirm your routing with your carrier and the National Immigration Administration before travel.
What you can and cannot do
Tourism, business visits, family visits and short-term activities are permitted during the 240-hour stay. The article highlights one high-frequency red line: working, studying or journalism is not allowed under this exemption. Those activities require the appropriate visa before arrival.
The article also warns that registering a company in China does not let you switch to work status inside the country. If you plan to work, you must leave China, apply for a Z visa and re-enter to complete residence formalities. Do not use a transit exemption to start paid work, an internship, a degree programme or reporting assignments.
Keep your onward ticket, accommodation details and a copy of your passport with you. If your plans change, contact the local exit-entry authority before your permitted stay expires rather than assuming the exemption can be extended.
Arriving in Shanghai
Shanghai is listed among the 24 eligible regions, but the exemption still depends on your nationality, your arrival port and your onward ticket. Check that your flight arrives at a designated port and that your route genuinely continues to a third country or region.
The approved region is larger than the arrival city, so the article says travellers may move within the eligible area. Do not treat that as permission to travel anywhere in China. Keep your itinerary within the published region and carry proof of your onward booking.
If you are unsure whether your route qualifies, ask the airline before departure and confirm with the port's border-inspection office on arrival. The rules can change, and local officers have discretion at the border.
Source and verification
This guide summarizes reporting from the WeChat public account CN-WORK-GUIDE, reviewed on 2 November 2026. It is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Policy details and port lists can change, and border officers make the final decision.
Before travelling, check the latest notice from the National Immigration Administration and the port you plan to use. Do not rely on older versions of the policy that list 54 countries and 60 ports.
