A: No, extensions are not permitted. You must leave China before the 240-hour period ends.

A: Overstaying can result in fines, detention, or being banned from re-entering China.

In addition, the National Immigration Administration stated that travelers entering China under the visa-free transit policy who need to stay beyond the permitted duration or travel outside the designated areas due to urgent and reasonable reasons or force majeure must apply for a stay permit in advance at the local public security bureau’s entry-exit administration department.

A: Both options are possible. The 240-hour visa-free transit policy allows travelers to travel between provinces.

A: Yes, you apply for the 240-hour visa-free entry upon arrival in China at the airport. You don’t need to apply for it in advance; it’s granted at the immigration counter when you arrive.

At the immigration counter, simply inform the officer that you’re applying for 240-hour visa-free transit and provide necessary documents. If everything is in order, you’ll receive the visa-free entry for the specified time period.

A: No, the 240-hour limit is calculated starting from 00:00 on the day following the passenger’s entry. For example, if a passenger enters Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 08:00 on January 1, 2025, the visa-free transit period will start from 00:00 on January 2, 2025, and they must exit before 23:59 on January 11, 2025.

A: According to the policy, to apply for the visa-free transit, passengers must hold a confirmed ticket with a set date and seat to a third country (region) before entering China. Therefore, if the connecting ticket has not been purchased in advance, the passenger cannot take advantage of this policy.

A: No. According to the policy, the visa-free transit policy is for foreigners who are transiting through China to a third country (region) from China. Therefore, foreigners who are traveling back to their country of departure cannot take advantage of this policy.

A: Yes, you can.

A: A “third region” is the next destination after China, different from your origin.

A: The simplest way is to ask your airline to confirm how the route will be listed on your ticket. China’s entry border control determines your departure country/region based on the last country/region you flew from to China. Generally speaking, if a passenger departs from one country and the flight stops in another country or region without going through immigration, the stopover location is not considered the departure or destination point. This also applies when determining your destination country after leaving China. But we suggest you to confirm this with your airline.

A: Yes, both Hong Kong and Macau are classified as “third region” under China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, meaning that travelers can plan itineraries that include these locations without needing to obtain a visa for mainland China, as long as they comply with the transit requirements. Therefore, you can take advantage of this by returning to your departure point/country from Hong Kong or Macau. For example: USA – China – USA: doesn’t work; USA – Hong Kong – China – USA: works; USA – China – Macau – USA: works too.

A: No, you can’t apply for TWOV when entering mainland China from Hong Kong by road or train, cause there’s no eligible port available. Travel by flight or cruise.

A: Yes, there is no limit on the number of times you can use the policy, nor is there any required time gap between each use. For example, for a trip from the USA to Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou, you can apply for the TWOV twice: once for USA – Shanghai – Hong Kong, and again for Hong Kong – Guangzhou – USA.