China offers visa-free entry to travelers holding ordinary passports from Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Russia, Sweden, Canada and United Kingdom. Citizens from those countries are able to enter China without a visa and stay for no more than 30 days for business, tourism, family visits and transit purposes till December 31, 2026.
So if your nationality is one of those countries, you DO NOT need to follow below instructions to apply for the transit visa, just please go to immigration directly.
1. Countries qualified for the 24/240 hours free Transit Visa in Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport now (Dec, 2024) adopts 240 hours free Transit visa to the holders of passports issued by the following countries: Canada, Indonesia, Chile, Czech Republic, Mexico, Macedonia, Monaco, Republic of Montenegro, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
According to our experience, some of the countries do not belong to the 240 hours visa free countries, but if you layover within 24 hours in Beijing, you still can obtain the visa free for 24 hours. Such as: India, Philippines, Vietnam, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama, Dominican Republic, etc.
2. Restrictions of the 24/240 hours free Transit Visa
It only applies to passengers who transit through Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing. The destination and place of departure cannot be the same.(e.g Auckland – Beijing – Auckland).
3. About how to get free Transit Visa at Beijing airport
Please see details at: https://www.beijinglayovertour.com/beijing-layover-tour-tips/.
Even if you fit all the policies above, the immigration officers still have the right to object to you for some reasons (sometimes they will tell you the reason, sometimes they don’t).
If you want to be 100% sure, please apply for the visa in advance at the Chinese Embassy.
We found some reasons that cause you can not obtain the free Transit Visa.
1. The validity of your passport is less than 3 months.
2. Worked or been to Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan.
There must be more reasons but we just don’t know yet. (The latest updated on Nov. 17, 2023)
As a tour company, if we agree to arrange a tour for you that means your flight information, layover time and your nationality fit the visa free policy requirements.
But there are still some other issues that might happen that might cause you can not obtain the visa-free or can not get out of the airport.
We don’t take any responsibility if it happens. And according to our private tour refund policy, we will deduct our tour guide and driver airport transfer costs accordingly and refund the rest of the tour fee to you. (Most companies are non-refundable)
Hope for your understanding!
I am a US citizen and will be flying from US to India, stay in India for 14 days, then from India to Beijing, stay in Beijing for 4 days then continue on from Beijing to USA.
Do I qualify for the 144 hr visa free transit?
Hi Sean,
Yes, you can get the 144 hours visa-free for sure.
Hi so I have a 11 hour layover with two friends. Anyway we can get a 24 hour visa pass to checkout the night life in Beijing? Our flight lands in beijing aroub 21 and we leave in the morning at 9ish.
Hi Austin,
Please check the visa-free policy, if you conform to the terms and conditions, then you can get out of airport.
Hello. I am planning to apply for the 144 hours Beijing transit visa on arrival. this will be in May. I am a UK passport holder (but born in Hong Kong) and British Citizen as stated in passport. My trip will be UK- Amsterdam – Beijing- Hong Kong- Amsterdam. Wouls I be eligible for the 144 hours transit vias? And also would you suggest a tour itinerary (and a tour operator?) that covers The Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Chinese theatre? Thanks in advance.
Hi Simon,
Yes, you can get the visa-free if you layover in Beijing within 144 hours.
How many people do you have? How many nights will you in Beijing?
I am a Filipino citizen and I have a 12 hour layover and would like to leave the airport, is there anyway to do that.
Hi Raphael,
We did many tours for Filipino clients without the visa. But the airport have right to stop you in the airport without any reason even was happened for the US passport holders. So if you want to be 100% sure, please apply for a visa in advance. About how to get the visa-free permit. Please see details at: https://www.beijinglayovertour.com/beijing-layover-tour-tips/.