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 (August, 2026) adopts 240 hours free Transit visa to the holders of passports issued by the following countries: Vietnam, Indonesia, Chile, Czech Republic, Mexico, Macedonia, Monaco, Republic of Montenegro, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Kyrgyzstan.
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, 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!
Hello! My husband and I are arriving into Beijing at 14:25 on a Friday and then leave at 00:15. Do you offer an evening tour that works with these times?
Hi Erica,
Thank you for your asking!
According to your layover time, I recommend you visit Hutongs and Tiananmen Square. Since other attractions will be closed in the late afternoon. No place is better to read the Old Beijing than in the Hutong, where old Beijingers lived and are still lived by local people. Besides, tour in Shichahai Lake and several cultural relics and ancient buildings along the Hutong area is also included.
We just sent an email about detailed itinerary and price, please check it out.
Hi
I will be landing in Beijing at 7:30 pm on Nov. 18th from Mongolia headed home to Canada. I have an overnight stay and leaving Beijing for home at 2:30 pm on the 19th. Wondering if it would be possible to see the “Wall” early morning on the 19th from an airport hotel and be back to the airport for 12 noon. I’m not sure which hotel yet but it will be an airport hotel.
Can you tell me how much will the trip cost?
Thanks anna
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your asking.
Yes, we can pick you up from your hotel on Nov. 19, 2016 morning, then take you to visit Great Wall. And we will transfer you back to airport after the tour. We just sent an email to you, please check.
Hello – if I have two 8 hour layovers in Beijing can I obtain entry (VISA) to China twice? 1st layover Feb 3 (Los Angeles-Beijing-Bangkok) the 2nd layover Feb 18 (Phuket-Beijing-Los Angeles)
I wanted to do 3 tours Great Wall, Forbidden City & Pandas. Is it possible to see all 3 in the two layovers?
Hi Crystal,
Thank you for your message.
Yes, you can get temporary visa twice at Beijing airport. Many our previous clients did two layover tours with us. Could you please provide us your flight times? Then we will know if you have time to do these tours.
Hi! I’m a Philippine Passport Holder with a US Permanent Residency card (green card) and will be travelling with my mom who is a Philippine Passport holder with a valid US Visitor’s visa. We have a 15-hour layover in Beijing (Houston-Beijing-Manila). I was wondering if my mom needs to apply for a transit visa ahead of time. Much thanks.
Hi Vincent,
You can apply for a temporary visa when you arrive in Beijing airport. Would you like to book a layover tour?
hi,
I am travelling to India from Auckland in Nov 16. I am on Indian passport, can I get a transit visa to visit city etc.? If so what is the cost? Can I apply for transit visa online before arriving?
Thanks
Hi Sanjay,
Thank you for contacting us!
Since the Indian is not belongs to “72 Hours Visa-free” 51 countries. If you would like to take a layover tour, please apply the Chinese entry visa from your local Chinese embassy before you landing Beijing.
We arrive in Beijing at 1am from Thailand. Upon going to Thailand we experienced that not much is open in this airport during this time. Can we get our visa online somehow?
Hi Kristene,
Thank you for contacting us!
Normally, you can get 72-hour Visa-free at that time. Our clients did that before.
There is no Visa-online service in Beijing.
Would you like to book a layover tour?
By the way, your email address is incorrect. We are not able to reach you by email.
I would like to confirm how to calculate the duration of the 72 hours transit visa exemption when transiting via Beijing (PEK airport).
My inbound flight from Japan arrives in PEK airport at 11h20 (Aug 29th 2016). My outbound flight to South Korea leaves PEK airport at 11h50 (Sep 1st 2016).
As per airlines’ scheduled time of landing and departure, it is 72 hours and 30 minutes.
However, I read that 72 hours’ time actually start counting from 0:01 on the day following entry, is that right?
Hi Eduardo,
Thank you for contacting us!
Yes, the “72 hours” start counting from midnight following arrival. So your flights should be fine. We’ve had clients did so.