Check Entry Before You Fly

Find the rule that actually covers you

Consult the National Immigration Administration, then the Chinese embassy or consulate responsible for your passport and application. Identify whether your visit uses a visa, a nationality-specific exemption, or a transit policy. Read the permitted purpose and length of stay as well as the headline duration. If a visa is needed, check the current consular application process before paying for inflexible bookings.

The NIA’s August 2026 guidance describes a 240-hour transit arrangement for eligible nationalities, designated entry ports, and permitted areas. It requires a qualifying onward journey to a third country or region. A return route from country A to mainland China and back to country A is not the same as A → mainland China → B; do not assume a round trip qualifies as transit. Exact eligibility still depends on the actual policy.

Put these documents together

• Original valid passport and any required visa or entry authorization.
• Issued onward transport details where the entry arrangement requires them, including dates and destination.
• First accommodation’s Chinese name, address, phone number, and confirmation.
• Travel-insurance assistance number and separate secure document copies.

A connection is not automatically permission to go sightseeing

A separate 24-hour transit policy applies under its own conditions. Leaving the restricted port area can require a temporary entry permit even if you do not need a visa for the transit itself. Ask the relevant authority about your actual connection rather than using a long layover as proof that you can enter the city.

Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan have separate entry arrangements. Check each border crossing independently. Reconfirm mainland eligibility with the official authority and your airline shortly before departure; an airline must also decide whether the documents support boarding. Resolve unclear coverage before travel, not in a queue at the airport.