Question 1

Do Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan count as third regions for 240h transit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under the National Immigration Administration policy, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan all count as separate regions for the A→China→B routing rule. So routes like SFO→PVG→HKG, JFK→PEK→MFM, and LAX→CAN→TPE all qualify as valid 240h transits.

Question 2

Can I enter China at one port and leave from another under 240h transit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The entry port and exit port do not have to be the same, as long as both are on the 65-port list. For example: enter at PEK (Beijing), travel by HSR, exit at PVG (Shanghai).

Question 3

Is exit by high-speed rail to Hong Kong allowed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Exit via West Kowloon Station (WKL) by HSR is a valid 240h exit. The airline check-in agent at the departure airport may not know this — carry your Boarding Kit to show them.

Question 4

How is the 240-hour stay measured?

Accepted Answer

The 240-hour clock starts at 00:00 the day after you enter mainland China and runs continuously. You must leave within 240 hours of that start time.

Question 5

What if my country has 30-day ordinary visa-free? Should I still use 240h?

Accepted Answer

Usually no. If your passport qualifies for the regular 30-day visa-free policy (many EU countries, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc.), that path is longer, has no A→China→B requirement, and is simpler. Use 240h only when ordinary visa-free isn't an option.

Question 6

Do I need the Digital Arrival Card (CDAC) for 240h transit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Since 2025-11-20, the Digital Arrival Card at s.nia.gov.cn is mandatory for all foreign arrivals — including 240h transit travelers. It's free at the official portal. Fill it within 72 hours of arrival; you cannot edit after submitting. See our /arrival-card guide for the walkthrough.

Question 7

What if the airline refuses to board me even though I qualify?

Accepted Answer

Documented incidents on FlyerTalk and The Points Guy show airline check-in agents occasionally refusing 240h passengers because they're not trained on the policy. Carry a printed Boarding Kit with the NIA policy excerpt and an onward third-region ticket. Escalate to the duty manager. Ask them to verify at en.nia.gov.cn. Most refusals dissolve once a manager reads the policy.

Question 8

Can I use 240h transit multiple times in a row?

Accepted Answer

Yes — there's no cooldown between uses. Each entry resets the clock. Some travelers do back-to-back 240h stays separated by short HKG/SIN/ICN trips. NIA can refuse repeated obvious-misuse patterns at officer discretion, but documented serial-transit travel for tourism is not blocked.

Question 9

Can I visit Tibet, Xinjiang, or Inner Mongolia on a 240h transit?

Accepted Answer

No. Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Jilin are outside the current 240h stay area. Heilongjiang is city-limited rather than fully open; do not assume travel outside Harbin is covered. The eligibility check flags excluded regions and warns on city-limited regions.

Prüfe, ob du 240h Transit nutzen solltest oder ob die normale visafreie Einreise besser passt.

240h Transit Checks

Passport eligible for 240h transit

Entry port is a listed 240h port

Stay is 240 hours or less

A → China → B route shape (different countries/regions)

Hong Kong / Macau / Taiwan handled correctly

Exit mode (air / rail / sea) is supported

Planned regions are inside the 24 eligible provinces

City-level stay-area caveats checked

Onward destination is not inside mainland China

Boarding proof check

Low airline-counter risk: standard proof should be enough.

Most 240h confusion is not the country list. It is the route shape.

Dieses Tool ist Information, keine Rechtsberatung und kein Visum.