240-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Guangzhou: Ports, Area and Rules (2026)

Short answer: Guangzhou is a designated entry point for China's 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit: arrive at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), Nansha Sea Port (passenger), Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal with an onward ticket to a third country and you can stay up to 10 days within any of the 24 provinces that allow 240-hour transit. Verified 31 October 2026.

Official source for the 240-hour transit rules: the National Immigration Administration (English site).

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the main port for 240-hour transit in the city. Since 5 November 2025, Nansha passenger port and Pazhou Hong Kong-Macau passenger port have also been approved as entry ports, so the ferry routes from Hong Kong and Macao count as international connections. Show a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region with a fixed date, and ask the border inspection officer for the 240-hour transit stay permit.

What to bring

• A passport valid for your whole stay (6 months' validity is recommended).
• A confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, departing within 10 days. Returning to the country you came from does not count.
• Fill in the arrival card online before you land; at immigration, ask for the 240-hour transit stamp.

If your passport has 30-day visa-free entry, you don't need transit rules at all: see visa-free entry and 240-hour transit explained and rules by country.

Once you're in: Guangzhou for first-time visitors covers the airport, metro, payments and which sights need booking.

How the 240 hours are counted

The clock starts at 00:00 on the day after you enter, so a 10 pm arrival gives you most of an extra day. The 240 hours are counted by the hour from that midnight, and you must have left the permitted area through a designated port before they run out. If you have a visa-free entry or a visa, immigration applies that instead of the transit rules.

What transit allows and what it doesn't

• Allowed: tourism, visiting friends and family, business meetings, short exhibitions, and travelling anywhere within any of the 24 provinces that allow 240-hour transit.
• Not allowed: work, study, journalism, or leaving the permitted area. Doing so counts as an illegal stay.
• Register where you sleep: hotels register you automatically; in a private home you must register with the local police within 24 hours.
• Leaving late: overstaying the 240 hours brings the same fines and bans as any overstay: see what happens if you overstay in China.

If your plans change

You can leave from any designated port in the permitted area, not only the one you arrived at, as long as your onward destination is still a third country or region. To stay longer, apply at the local Exit-Entry Administration for a stay permit before your time runs out; approval is not guaranteed, so book changeable flights if you may want extra days.

FAQ

Is Guangzhou a 240-hour visa-free transit port?

Yes. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), Nansha Sea Port (passenger), Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal are designated ports for the 240-hour transit policy.

How far can I travel from Guangzhou on 240-hour transit?

You must stay within any of the 24 provinces that allow 240-hour transit. Leaving that area needs a visa.

Who qualifies for 240-hour visa-free transit?

Citizens of 57 countries, flying on to a third country or region (not back to where they came from) within 10 days. Check your passport in the visa-free checker.

Are Nansha and Pazhou ports approved for 240-hour transit?

Yes. Since 5 November 2025, Nansha passenger port and Pazhou Hong Kong-Macau passenger port are on the list of entry ports, along with other Guangdong ports.

Why might my transit request be refused?

Reasons include a travel document valid for under 3 months, a Chinese visa refusal stamp, or recent illegal entry, residence or work records in China.

Do I need an onward ticket?

Yes. You need a confirmed ticket to a third country or region with a fixed date. The stay is counted from 00:00 the day after arrival.

Next steps for your trip

Last verified 31 October 2026. Sources: National Immigration Administration (en.nia.gov.cn) [1] [2] [3] . Rules change; confirm with the National Immigration Administration or your airline before you fly.