Pudong International Airport, Shanghai
Starting January 8, 2023, China has resumed its visa-free policy, allowing eligible individuals to travel without a visa. A negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure is required, but no quarantine is necessary upon arrival.If you have a layover in one of the Chinese airports while traveling in Asia, you may be eligible for a visa-free visit to China for up to 3 or 6 days, depending on your arrival city (see details below).
The Chinese government has released a tool that allows you to check if you qualify for the exemption by entering your nationality and city of entry.
However, please note that we cannot guarantee you will receive an exemption, as it is ultimately up to your transportation company to evaluate your eligibility and allow you to get off the transportation without a visa.
For more information on China’s entry requirements, you can refer to our guide on the Chinese visa application.
If you need a hotel for a couple of nights, we suggest checking out our guide on how to book a hotel in China.
In which Chinese cities and provinces can I get a visa exemption for a maximum of 144 hours?
1. Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province
Transit without a visa is permitted for 144 hours only if you arrive in one of the following cities:
- Shanghai: Shanghai Pudong Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Wusong Passenger Transport Center and all railway stations;
- Hangzhou: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport;
- Nanjing: Nanjing Lukou International Airport.
The list of entry points may change at any time. Thus, we always suggest you confirm this information before planning your trip.
The visa exemption policy allows international travelers to move around Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu Provinces – no matter the city where they arrived.
Moreover, from what we know, it isn’t necessary to enter and depart from the same port. For example, you could enter China at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, and leave the country via the international airport in Hangzhou. The important thing is to not leave the region of Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu.
Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province
Since the end of 2017, transit without a visa is permitted for 144 hours also if you arrive in one of the following cities:
- Beijing: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing West Railway Station;
- Tianjin: Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port;
- Shijiazhuang (in Hebei): Zhengding International Airport;
- Qinghuangdao (in Hebei): Qinhuangdao Port.
Also, in this case, the list of entry points may change at any time. Thus, we always suggest you confirm this information before planning your trip.
The visa exemption allows international travelers to move around Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, and Hebei Province – no matter the city where they arrived.
In addition, as far as we know, you don’t have to enter and exit from the same port. For example, you could enter China via the Beijing West Railway Station, and leave the country from the international airport in Tianjin. The important thing is that you don’t leave the region of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province.
Liaoning Province
Since January 1, 2018, a transit visa for a maximum of 144 hours is permitted even if you arrive at one of the following cities:
- Dalian: Taoxian International Airport;
- Shenyang: Zhoushuizi International Airport Shenyang.
International travelers who arrive in China through one of the two airports listed above can freely move around Liaoning Province, and then leave China through one of these two airports (you don’t have to arrive and depart from the same airport so long as you only use these two).
To conclude, even in this case the list of entry points could change at any time. So we always suggest that you verify the most recent information you read here on our site.
Other cities
The following cities also allow free visa transit for a maximum of 144 hours:
- Chengdu (Chengdu Shuang Liu International Airport);
- Kunming (Kunming Changshui International Airport);
- Qingdao (Qingdao Liuting International Airport and seaport);
- Wuhan (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport);
- Xiamen (Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and sea port).
Note that if you arrive in Kunming, Wuhan, or Xiamen, you can’t leave the city you’ve stopped in. Instead, if you land in Qingdao or Chengdu, then you can’t leave their respective provinces (which are, in order, Shandong and Sichuan).
Therefore, if for example you stopover in Kunming, you cannot go beyond Kunming municipality limits, while if, for example, you stopover in Qingdao, you cannot beyond Shandong Province limits.
In which Chinese cities can I get a visa exemption for a maximum 72 hours?
Beside the cities and Provinces that allow a 144 hours visa exemption, transit without a visa is permitted for a maximum of 72 hours only if you stopover in one of the following cities:
- Changsha (Changsha Huanghua International Airport);
- Chongqing (Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport);
- Guangzhou (Guangzhou Baiyu International Airport);
- Guilin (Guilin Liangjiang International Airport);
- Harbin (Harbin Taiping International Airport);
- Xi’an (Xi’an Xianyang International Airport).
Note that in cities that allow transit without a visa for a maximum of 72 hours, travelers can only arrive at and depart from the country by air; they also can’t leave the city where they landed (or the province they landed in depending on the arrival city).
Remember that if you land in Chongqing, Guilin, or Harbin, you can’t leave the city you’ve stopped in. If you land in Xi’an, you can only stay in Xi’an or go to Xinyang. Lastly, if instead, you land in Changsha or Guangzhou, then you can’t leave their respective provinces (which are, in order, Hunan and Guangdong).
In this photo you can see the blue stick that I got in my passport at Shanghai Airport, when I required the visa exemption for 4 hours
What documents must I have for an exemption?
Here are the required documents:
- Passport valid for at least three months from the date of arrival
- Visa for your destination country (if required)
- An air ticket – with a departure time within 72 hours (or 144 hours depending on the city), – for the country you’re going to (if you don’t already have your boarding pass, I suggest that you at least print the email confirmation you received from your airline;
- Yellow entrance/exit card (which you’ll be given on the plane or which you can find in the airport once you land).
- A negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure
Note that the countries of origin and destination cannot be the same. For this reason a ticket Los Angeles-Shanghai-Houston won’t allow you an exemption; you’ll need a ticket such as Los Angeles-Beijing-Tokyo or Los Angeles-Shanghai-Seoul. The final (or initial) destination can also be Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.
From when do we start counting the 72 hours (or 144 hours)?
From the most recent information we’ve read (though we ask you to confirm this detail), the countdown of the 72 hours (or 144 hours) starts exactly at midnight of the day following the passenger’s arrival (I think you can trust the date on the stamp you receive at the border when arriving by plane – see the photo in this article).
So if, for example, you arrive on September 1st at 6 in the morning, you’ll have to start counting hours the following midnight. This means that if you have a 72-hour exemption, you can stay up until 23:59 on September 4th, while if you have a 144-hour exemption, you could stay until 23:59 on September 7th.
For more information you can call the following numbers:
Beijing General Station of Immigration Inspection: 0086-10-56095400;
Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection: 0086-2151105100;
Guangzhou General Station of Immigration Inspection: 0086-2032090088.
Nationals of what countries have the right to transit?
You may receive a right of transit only if you have a passport from one of the following 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.
How do I request the visa exemption?
If you have everything required listed in this article, the procedure is rather simple:
- Contact the airline you intend to travel with so that they can advise the immigration inspection office;
- Fill out the yellow entrance/exit card (this is normally given to you on the plane, but if not you can find it in the international section of the airport as soon as you land
- Request exemption at the immigration counter (in many airports there are special lines for those requesting exemptions; if you see a sign with the writing “72 hours” or “144 hours” go to the indicated counter;
- Once through the immigration counter (they’ll attach a sticker on a page of your passport and stamp it with the entry date) get your bags and leave the airport as you normally would.
In the event that I land, for example, in Changsha, and requested an exemption, can I leave China in one of the other airports that allows exemptions (Chengdu, for example)?
No, not only do you have to leave from the airport in Changsha, but you can’t even leave the jurisdiction of Changsha!
Not even “stopovers” are allowed. For example, if your air itinerary is like this: Rome -> Changsha (72-hour stop) -> Xi’an (a half-hour stop without even getting off the plane) -> Hong Kong, then you can’t request an exemption because your itinerary includes two Chinese cities.
Obviously, there are exceptions in provinces where you can travel freely for 72 or 144 hours. For example, if your flight arrives in Shanghai, connects in Hangzhou (which is located within the same 144-hour region of Shanghai, which is the important thing), and you then leave China before the 144 hours expire, there’s no problem.
What is the 24 hour exemption?
The 24 hour visa exemption allows for transit through a Chinese city for a maximum of 24 hours (so long as the plane makes only one stop in China, and the departure and arrival countries are different, such as Canada -> China -> Australia for example).
These exemptions can be applied for in almost all Chinese airports by people of almost all nationalities, even if there are exceptions regarding smaller airports and certain nationalities (especially Asian countries considered “high risk” such as Syria, Iraq, etcetera).
If the stopover lasts more than 72 hours (or 144 hours, for the cities that allow that), can I stay in the airport’s international zone for a bit and then ask for the exemption when it is less than 72 hours (or 144 hours) until departure?
No, if the stopover lasts more than 72 hours (or 144 hours, for the cities that allow that) then you’ll probably need a visa before your departure flight. In this case, the problem is that the airline may deny you access to the departing flight if they realize that your stopover lasts more than the allowed hours and you do not possess a visa.
If I travel with my pet cat, dog, or crocodile, can I get the exemption?
No. You can however request at the airport’s Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau to keep your pet in custody during the exemption period. Note too that you also cannot cross the border with fruit or vegetables.
What should I do in the event that I land, for instance, in Changsha but, due to something unforeseen, I have to leave the city?
In this case you should apply for a visa at the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) in the city you’re in.
What can I do if I’m unable to leave China within 72 hours (or 144 hours, for the cities that allow it)?
The same as above: you’ll have to apply for a visa at the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) of the city you’re in.
Photo Credits: 
Shanghai Airport by majaX1
Hello,
Australian passport holder, took a trip to China, July 2017, where we obtained visa before we left as we were visiting Shanghai, Beijjng, Xi’an (lots of running around, took quite a bit of time, several days, and quite expensive).
Heading to USA in April and going back to Beijing. Planning to stay under the 72 hour limit.
Our trip, fly to Beijng from Bali via Manila – leave Beijing to fly to San Francisco. This flight is with China Southern and has a 5 hour stop in Wuhan, the flight out of Beijing booked as Beijing-San Francisco.
Am I able to get the 72 hour visa? I am flying in from Indonesia and going to San Fran, my query is will the stop in Wuhan on the way to San Fran make us ineligible for the 72 hour twov.
Thanks,
Tracy
Hello Tracy,
the stop in Wuhan may indeed make you ineligible. I’m not sure. I suggest you to confirm with your airline.
Hello!
Does a Hong Kong – Shanghai – Taipei route qualify as three different countries for the visa free transit in Shanghai? Thanks for all the information!
It shall qualify. However, as we say to everybody, make sure to confirm with your airline
Can you help me?
I have a flight to Brazil from Wuhan (delta airlines). I’m planning to travel a bit around another countries before I leave Asia. Can I go back to Wuhan from some other asian country (probably another air company), then take my plane to Brazil? My visa is just one entry, so l technically can’t enter china again.
If your flight doesn’t stop in any other city in China and the origin and destination is different, you could apply for a 72h visa exemption, just confirm it with your airline
What happens in case that the departure flight is delayed and I am then forced to overstay my stay in Shanghai?
Go straight to security and explain the situation!
not sure what will really happen, I never heard of this situation
I hope to apply for the 144 transit visa.
I will be flying HKG – PVG – ICN. I have called Hong Kong Airlines to ask if I need to let them know in advance so they don’t denied me boarding at HKG (since I won’t have a visa beforehand) and every time I mention visa – they say I need to refer to my immigration office. Not helpful.
Well I hope they let me on the plane and the employees are aware of this option because I’ve seen stories of people getting denied to board.
If you have any personal stories/advice with Hong kong airlines – please let me know.
Hello Mel,
if the airline is not helpful, get there prepared:
1. Bookmark in your phone an official Chinese website that explain how the visa exemption work
2. Print your flight ticket PVG – ICN, which I assume to be Icheon, in Korea
can you link an official chinese website?
Hi there, we used to link to it but the link changed. You can probably find it with a research in Baidu, if you speak Chinese (I assume you speak Chinese, from your name)
Hello,
Could you help me with an answer, please?
I am going to flight from Vladivostok through Beijing to Vancouver. I will carry on two cats.
I have read about restriction for animals to carry into China, but if my cats will be carried only by transit during 14 hours through Beijing Airport will they be taken to Quarantine as well?
Hello Elena,
sorry, I never traveled with cats. I advice you to get in touch with your flight company!
If it is a dog and I will care it by transit, I have to place it in Quarantine or no?
Hi, I never traveled with an animal. My suggestion is to ask to your flight company
I plan on using a 72 hour visa free visit. I would like to stay with a friend and know we need to check into a police station with him. Do you know what documentation he needs with him so that our visit is valid.
If I remember well he shall bring to the police station:
– His passport with his resident permit (or Chinese ID card, if he’s chinese)
– Original of rent agreement
– A copy of the above documents
Hi Furio,
I am a US national flying from Bangkok to Guanghzou (4hr layover) and then to San Fransisco ( the plane stops for 1hr25 mins in Wuhan – CZ659) The whole trip from Bangkok to SFO is 23hrs. Do I need a transit visa or I can request for the TWOV ?
Thanks,
James
Hi,
are you even leaving the airport? If you don’t even leave the international zone, then you don’t even need a transit exemption.
In any case, I would suggest to call your flight company, in these case it’s always the best!
Passengers travelling on US and Canadian passports are not permitted to use the multiple-stop transit within China if transiting through Weihai (WEH), Wuhan (WUH).
Hello Lea, I did some research and it seems you’re right! I added a note to the article
Hi! I’m a Pakistani national and is flying from manila via china then to pakistan. Will i need a transit visa when landing in China? What is the longest possible time that I’m allowed at the airport for transit without a visa?
Hi Faisam, honestly I dont know if Pakistani nationals enjoy the visa exemption
Hello Furio,
I must say thanks to you for providing advice for people. I also have a question. We are from Canada but our flight itinerary is Canada > South Korea > Japan > SHANGHAI > South Korea > Jeju (island south of South Korea) > Busan (city south of South Korea) > Canada all within 2 weeks at the end of April-May.
Now to focus on mid part of our trip. Japan to Shanghai with “China Southern Airlines”, [we are planning to visit friends in Suzhou which falls in Jiangsu Province, which is ok from this article Shanghai to South Korea with “Korean Airlines”.
Just want to get your input. Do we qualify for 144 hour transit visa? I’ve read article thoroughly and it seems like we do qualify. I also called China Southern Airlines and they said we don’t but I couldn’t understand her explanation very well so I’ll call again.
Hi!
What matters is the flight Japan -> Shanghai -> South Korea.
In my opinion you seem to qualify, however make sure that the airline agrees because if they don’t let you in on the flight, it’s a big problem!
Dear Furio,
Great website, thank you for the time you invest to help travellers like us.
My wife is mozambican, resides in France (am french) and will travel to China but no visa yet as we need advice before moving forward. Here is the situation: she will travel with our daughter (17y.o, french), they currently have a ticket to Chongqing (from Paris, going though Finland) and they would like to head directly to Hong Kong without having to leave the Chongqing airport as no visa is needed for our daughter as a french citizen (transit in Chongqing staying at the airport then heading to HK, to finally return from Japan, already holding a ticket for that onward journey from Japan to Paris, only missing the HK-Japan ticket, if HK trip gets confirmed, then we will make sure to book the flight from HK to Japan to show proof of onward journey for our daughter (and even for my wife’s HK visa).
We would like to avoid applying for two visas for my wife (a chinese + HK visa) indeed mozambican passport are not eligible for Transit without Visa, and it’s quite painful to do it in France, 160eur in Paris and we live far from there etc, we even thought of doing it in Laos or Vietnam where we’re heading soon, as more flexible and cheaper…hoping they will not ask for residence^^) thus we came with this idea of going straight from Chongqing to HK, hoping they will allow her to board the flights from Europe, only with a HK visa (which she will apply for in Laos, Thailand or Vietnam during our upcoming trip next week). Do you think my wife would still need a Chinese tourist L visa is she stays at the airports to connect and reach HK ?
We were thinking of dropping one tourist visa application at the Chinese embassy in Laos/Vietnam and see what they say but am sure you have great insights to share beforehand :-)
Sorry for this lengish message, we tried to get answers everywhere, to no avail… Appreciate your help and guidance,
Jay
PS: I guess we might not be able to use your awesome tip on booking a flight from Chongqing to Shenzhen (rather than HK) to save money as Shenzhen is mainland China and coming out of the airport would require a chinese visa for my wife :-(
Hi I’m sorry but I’m not qualified to give any suggestions for Mozambican passport or such a complex situations
May I enter as a US citizen from Delhi to Beijing for 24 hours, then take a flight to LAX that has an 18 hour layover in Chengdu and wander about BOTH Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City) and Chengdu?
I don’t think you have this option in Beijing, as technically you are flying to Chengdu, thus isn’t a transit.
You may qualify in Chengdu, however make sure to confirm this with your airline
I am flying from Los Angeles, USA to Manila, Philippines with a layover in Beijing International Airport. My flight arrives in Beijing at 5:20am and departs at 8pm the same day. Will I need a Chinese Visa if I want to go to the Great Wall of China and maybe the city of Beijing during that time? or do I qualify for the 72 hour visa?
Hi Azhlee,
if your itinerary is Los Angeles – Beijing – Manila, then you shall qualify. However we always recommend to double check with the airlines, as at the end of the day they are the one that have the power to let you flight (or don’t let you fly).
Also, make sure that the section of the Great Wall you want to visit is within Beijing borders, as you are not allowed to leave Beijing without a visa!!!
Hello Furio,
I have a flight Chicago – Shanghai april 27 With American Airlines and Return Shanghai – Chicago may 2nd
I also bought/might buy with China Eastern – Shanghai – Hong Kong to qualify for the visa and return hong kong – shanghai to catch my flight back May 2nd (not leaving airport, just landing and grabbing my flight a few hours later).
If I present my tickets at immigration will I be able to get the 144hr G visa? I booked with 2 different airlines so my final destination will be considered Hong Kong. Thanks
Hi Diego,
if your itinerary is Chicago – Shanghai – Hong Kong, then you shall qualify. However we always recommend to double check with the airlines, as at the end of the day they are the one that have the power to let you flight (or don’t let you fly)
Hello, If I arrive in Shanghai and use the visa free transit period would it be possible to take the train to beijing for a few days? I know it is officially not allowed but they don’t check visas when buying a train ticket or on the train right?
Hi, this would be extremely illegal. If they catch you, they will kick you out (at your expense), probably fine (and / or ban from China for years).
We suggest you to stick to the law!
Is the 144h visa exemption rule valid for guangzhou as well?
According to this site, it is
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-transit-144hour.htm
We did some research and we could find this info only on the link you shared with us. In another website we found that in Guangdong the 144 hours were only valid if you join a group tour. So at the moment we can’t confirm this news.
Hello,
Thank you for your reply. Would you know where I can find official information about that? My Airline company does not know about it.
Thanks
Hi,my daughter and I will have a stopover in Beijing for 21 hours. Will be flying Bangkok-Beijing-South Africa,do we need to apply for transit visa?
We can’t tell you if you need a visa. Please read the article, which is quite comprehensive
Hi I live in China and my mom is coming to visit from US in January. We will be flying to Thailand and Singapore for vacation for most of the time she’s in Asia (about 2 weeks), but she’s flying into Shanghai first (where I live). I’m wondering if it’s possible to do the 24 or 144 hours visa twice in a short amount of time. For instance she is flying in to Shanghai on 24th of Jan and flying back to US on 5th of Feb. Hoping to tack on 1 or2 days both at the beginning of her stay and at the end coming into China before and after our trip in SE Asia but not sure it’s possible to do the transit visa 2x in short period. Any ideas?
It is possible but you should confirm it with your airline befor
Hi Mr. Furio Fu, I’ve tried emailing the us embassy and the airlines give conflicting reports. My itin is as follows: oma/usa to hkg arrive 14dec on american airlines, then hkg to pek on the 17dec on china southern airlines, then pek to oma/usa 19dec on american airlines. From looking at the various diagrams on some blogs, it appears to qualify for the 72hr TWOL?? Your opinion please. Thanks!
It appears. However we don’t have any authority to confirm / deny this. If you want to be sure, please discuss with your airline / consular office
Hi I am travelling from UK to Shanghai for 5 days in April 2017 and then flying to phuket for 1 week. Will I be able to re-enter shanghai for another 2 days after phuket before I fly back to the UK?
I don’t know Julie. There are so many factors to take into account. I suggest you to talk with your flight company