Visa-free transit

The 240-Hour Transit Plan

Ten days without a visa, if you qualify. How to use it: Shanghai as a base, and the shape of the time you actually have.

You have: Up to 240 hours

China's transit exemption allows eligible travellers to stay for up to 240 hours — ten days — without a visa, entering and leaving through designated ports and staying within permitted areas. The rules have changed repeatedly and they change without much notice.

Verify your nationality and your port of entry against the current official list before booking anything. This page is a plan, not a determination of eligibility.

The plan

Before you fly

Confirm three things

That your nationality is on the current exemption list; that your entry and exit ports are both designated; and that your onward ticket to a third country is confirmed. One missing item and the whole plan changes.

Days 1–4

Shanghai properly

The three-day itinerary, plus a day for the West Bund, Jing'an and a long dinner. Four days is the right amount for the city itself.

First time: 3 days →

Days 5–7

One day trip, not three

A water town, or Suzhou on the fast train. Pick one and come back. Rushing three day trips is the most common mistake people make with ten days.

Days 8–10

Back to Shanghai, slower

The districts you skipped, the walks you want to repeat, the restaurant you want to go back to. This is the part nobody plans and everybody enjoys.

At exit

Have your paperwork

Onward ticket, accommodation records, and the arrival card. Keep them together and accessible — not in checked luggage.

FAQ

Questions

Everything on this site is written and re-checked on the ground. When something changes, this page changes.

Do I qualify for 240-hour visa-free transit?

It depends on nationality, entry port, exit port and onward destination. Check the current official list — do not rely on a blog post, including this one.

Can I leave Shanghai during the 240 hours?

Travel is generally permitted within the allowed area, which is far larger than Shanghai. Confirm the current boundaries before booking onward travel.