Visa & Entry
China visa rules updated in 2024-2025. The 240-hour (10-day) transit visa-free policy now covers 54 countries through 60 ports. Single-entry L visas, 144-hour transit eligibility, what counts as a valid onward ticket, and registration with local police within 24 hours of arrival. What documents you actually need at the consulate.
32 answers
What should I do if my China L visa online review at the NYC consulate takes more than two weeks?
You cannot pay to speed up the online review; express service only applies after you drop off your passport.
How hard is it to do Hong Kong -> Macau -> Shenzhen -> Hong Kong using 240-hour TWOV?
The Hong Kong to Macau to Shenzhen to Hong Kong TWOV loop works because the mainland entry and exit are different regions.
For an Indian applicant using Mumbai VFS, what documents and timeline should I expect for a China tourist visa?
Expect two to three weeks for the online COVA review, then fast passport turnaround of about a week after you submit at VFS.
If I have an emergency passport, does a short Beijing airport transit count as entering China?
A same-ticket airside connection through Beijing is a transfer, not an entry, and gets no passport stamp.
Do visa-free travelers still need to fill in China's arrival card before immigration?
Visa-free travelers still complete the digital arrival card; it is separate from your visa.
I'm a US citizen planning about 9 days in China (Beijing and Shanghai). My flights connect through South Korea both on the way in and on the way out, and then I fly back to the US. Does the 240-hour visa-free transit apply, or do my two transit points have to be in different countries?
You must arrive from one country and depart to a different country or region; returning to your origin counts as a round trip, which the transit rule excludes.
Is it normal for China teaching-job interviews to go through recruiters instead of the school contacting me directly?
It is normal for the school to communicate through the recruiter who sourced your interview, right up to the contract stage.
What should I do if a flight cancellation could make me overstay my China visa or visa-free stay?
Clearing exit immigration before midnight is what counts; a flight leaving a few minutes late is fine.