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144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Guangdong

144 hours visa-free transit has been carried out in Guangdong, which provides great convenience for passengers from 54 countries or regions transiting through Guangdong to a third country or region. Tourists eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit in Guangdong will be able to travel within the whole province for 6 days without applying for a visa, and the stay duration will be counted from 00:00 the day after the entry date.

Which Countries Are Covered by the Policy?

25 Schengen Agreement Countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

15 Other European Countries: Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia (FYROM), Albania, Belarus, Monaco

6 American Countries: the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile

2 Oceania Countries: Australia, New Zealand

6 Asian Countries: Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar

What Is An Eligible Route?

Country A → B: Guangdong → Country C

Here A refers to the country from which passengers enter Guangdong, and C refers to a third country or region. Before passengers' entry to Guangdong and after passengers' leave from Guangdong, they cannot have a stop anywhere in Mainland China. For example, if a passenger departs from UK to Guangzhou, with a stop in Shanghai, he cannot use the 144-hour visa-free transit.

What Are the Requirements & Procedures for Application?

Required documents:

Passport/Travel Document valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry

Confirmed onward ticket to a third country/region

Visa for a third country/region (if needed)

A fully completed Arrival/Departure Card (including name, nationality, passport no., visa no. & issuance place, flight no., purpose of visit, date of birth, gender)

How to apply for 144-hour visa-free transit

What Are the Eligible Ports to Arrive?

In Guangdong, only 3 airports can issue the 144 hour free transit, and they are Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an Airport, as well as Jieyang Chaoshan Airport, so the passengers who want to apply for this policy need to enter Guangdong from the 3 ports. But they are allowed to leave from any port in Guangdong.

The basic information about the 3 ports is as follows:

Airport	Telephone Number	Visa Office Opening Hours
Guangzhou Baiyun Airport	0086-20-36066622	24 hours (full year)
Shenzhen Bao'an Airport	0086-755-82327700	10:00 to the last flight of the day (full year)
Jieyang Chaoshan Airport	0086-663-3828770	24 hours (full year)

What Are the Eligible Ports to Leave?

Airports	Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Shenzhen Bao'an Airport Jieyang Chaoshan Airport Meizhou Meixian Airport Zhanjiang Airport
Railway Ports	Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station
Road Ports	Wenjindu Port, Shatoujiao Port, Huanggang Port, Luohu Port, Shenzhen Bay Port, Gongbei Port, HZM Zhuhai Port, Hengqin Port, Liantang Port
Ferry Ports	Guangzhou Port, Nansha Port, Lianhuashan Port, Shekou Port, Shenzhen Airport Fuyong Port, Jiuzhou Port, Wangzai Port, Wanshan Port, Doumen Port, Jiangmen Port, Heshan Port, Gaoming Port (Foshan), Rongqi Port, Zhongshan Port, Humen Port, Pazhou Port.

Areas Allowed to Stay

Passengers are allowed to travel or conduct business in the whole Guangdong Province if using the 144-hour visa-free transit, including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Dongguan. It's not allowed to get out of the province.

What Can You Do during the 144 Hours?

Sightseeing the Landmarks of Cities

Travelers can go to some popular scenic spots to have a better understanding on Guangdong, such as the well-known Window of the World in Shenzhen, the fascinating Yuexiu Park and the charming Pearl River in Guangzhou. Taking a Pearl River cruise has become a must-do thing for travelers in Guangzhou. Sightseeing the cities in Guangdong will not disappoint tourists because there are many beautiful attractions with natural and cultural sceneries within the province.

Recommended Tours

3 Days Guangzhou City Tour from $339

Guangzhou One Day Tour from $129

Pearl River Night Cruise from $109

2 Days Private Shenzhen Tour from $319

Conducting Business Activities

Passengers qualify for this policy can also conduct business activities or take part in trade fairs like the Canton Fair. Within the 6 days, businessmen can visit factories and firms in depth as well.

Enjoying Famous Cantonese Cuisine

Cantonese cuisine attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world for its refined taste. Tasting the exquisite Cantonese cuisine and delicious Guangzhou snacks can be a highlight to the 6-day trip in Guangdong.

Taking Cruise Tours

Tourists who qualify for the 144-hour convenient visa to Guangdong province China can take a flight to enter and then embark on a cruise or tour to other countries.

Further Reading on China 144-Hour Visa-Free Policy:
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Liaoning
Xiamen, Wuhan, Qingdao, Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, Chongqing

Airport	Telephone Number	Visa Office Opening Hours
Guangzhou Baiyun Airport	0086-20-36066622	24 hours (full year)
Shenzhen Bao'an Airport	0086-755-82327700	10:00 to the last flight of the day (full year)
Jieyang Chaoshan Airport	0086-663-3828770	24 hours (full year)

- Last updated on Apr. 25, 2024 by Gabby Li -

Questions & Answers on 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Guangdong

Asked by Paula from AUSTRALIA | May. 10, 2024 14:11

can you transit through hong kong airport to guangzhou and qualify for the 144 hr free visa

Answers (1)

Answered by Borut | May. 12, 2024 23:51

In order to be eligible for 144 hour visa free transit in Guangdong province (where Guangzhou is located) you have to fly to either Guangzhou or Shenzhen airports. You cannot enter overland. In other words, you can fly from Hong Kong to Guangzhou on a nonstop flight between two cities and if you have a third country destination immediately after Guangzhou (different than Hong Kong and you cannot have any additional landing within mainland China after Guangzhou), you will be eligible for 144 hour visa free transit valid for entire Guangdong province and you do not need any kind of visa.

Asked by Felix from USA | May. 08, 2024 20:38

Does this route qualify for the 144 Hour-Visa Free Transit?

Taipei to Guangzhou (stay within 6 day limit) to Uzbekistan

Answers (3)

Answered by Borut | May. 09, 2024 23:42

Yes, it does in principle, but here we have one problem of technical nature. Both of us know that there is no a nonstop flight from Guangzhou to Uzbekistan or better to say in order to accomplish your flight to Uzbekistan you would have to change a plane within mainland China. This is not allowed under 144 hour visa free transit because you cannot have two mainland Chinese stops in a row of any kind! Please, think about this detail and adapt your itinerary to be eligible under the current rules of 144 hour visa free transit.

Answered by Felix | May. 11, 2024 12:56

Thank you for the clarification. A quick Google search shows a flight from Guangzhou to Uzbekistan with a layover in Seoul. So would Taipei to Guangzhou to Seoul to Uzbekistan technically fall under the 144 hour criteria?

Answered by Borut | May. 12, 2024 23:48

Yes, you can do that because the basic rule of 144 hour visa free transit requires that the immediate points before and after mainland Chinese destination have to be in two different countries or eligible territories (eligible territories: Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau). As you can see your itinerary:

Taipei - Guangzhou - Seoul (later to Uzbekistan)

Is definitely eligible for 144 hour visa free transit valid for the entire Guangdong province and you do not need any kind of visa.

Asked by vin from UNITED KINGDOM | May. 04, 2024 16:19

Leaving Guangdong airport

I have a transit for 5hours, do you think it is possible to be eligible for the transit free visa and leave the airport to explore guangdong for a a few hours?

Answers (2)

Answered by Rita | May. 06, 2024 00:17

You enjoy 24-hour visa-free transit and to leave the airport, you just need to get an 24-hour entry permit at the border inspection counter. But I think there won't be enough time for a sightseeing as a round trip to the main attractions in the city center takes about 2 hours.

Answered by Borut | May. 06, 2024 05:10

No, this is not probable. It is usually 8 hours of layover when airport authorities start granting temporary entry permits for those in transit. In any case, you can try... So, if you decide you would like to exit the airport, you should immediately approach transit counter where you will apply, for free, for a temporary entry permit by presenting your flight tickets. After a short check, you will see the outcome...

Asked by Yanna from USA | Apr. 30, 2024 07:18

Do I need to contact airport?

Hello, I have flights booked to china already but I wanted to guarantee entry to china via 144 hr visa free transit so I call the Chinese embassy in NYC. they said I have to call the airport to speak to them to see if I am able to enter. Did anyone do this? Also, the number for airport isn’t working so does anyone have the number to CAN Baiyun?

Answers (2)

Answered by Joshua | May. 06, 2024 00:20

The visa office of Baiyun Airport: +86 020-36066622

Answered by Borut | May. 06, 2024 05:06

Yanna, please, just relax... Diplomatic missions are not the best address to ask because visa free transit is not in there jurisdiction, but the jurisdiction of National Immigration Administration, so totally different ministries. In other words, the person you were talking about did not want to have any responsibility, so it was the easiest to tell you to call the airport.

Not to complicate further I will just tell you that your itinerary or better to say its immediate points have to be in two different countries or eligible territories (eligible territories: Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau). So, if your itinerary is:

New York - Guangzhou - Hanoi

or New York - Guangzhou - Taipei

Then you are fine and you are eligible for 144 hour visa free transit and you do not need to ask anybody or to announce anything to anybody. You just need your passport, your flight tickets and to proceed to check-in in New York. Have a nice journey.

Asked by Matyas from CZECHIA | Apr. 29, 2024 05:22

Hi, I have a similar question

My friend is coming to visit me and we are wondering if we can get two visa free stays if we fly from Malaysia to Guangdong, stay there for few days, then take the train to HK, fly to Shanghai or Beijing from there for another few days and then fly back to Europe. Is the Guangdong-HK train ticket enough proof to get the 144h visa free entry permit so we can visit another part of China again after? Also can we fly back to China and ask for new permit the same day that we leave to HK, or should we stay in HK at least for one night?
Thanks :)

Answers (1)

Answered by Borut | Apr. 30, 2024 00:04

Matyas, you can do exactly what you plan to do with one detail that should be taken into consideration. Since several days ago an option to take a high speed train from Guangzhou and/or Shenzhen to Hong Kong (West Kowloon station) has became an eligible way how to exit mainland China toward Hong Kong, however, this particular detail has not yet been introduced into Timatic data bases or in other words, there is a small risk at the time being that you could be denied boarding the plane in Malaysia. Having this detail in mind I would suggest you to take a ferry from Nansha port located south from Guangzhou and easily reachable by metro. Also, it is important to know that you will have to buy your ferry ticket through CKS - Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company in advance, print it out and have it at hand.

After you have exited to Hong Kong, you have right to immediately (within the same day) depart toward your second destination located within mainland China being it Shanghai or Hong Kong. When you have exited from Guangdong province, one full process of 144 hour visa free transit has ended and you have right to start a new one since there is no limit on how many times you can take visa free transit scheme. Also, there is no requirement on how much time you have spend outside mainland China in order to take a second 144 hour visa free transit.

To conclude, you can do exactly as you have planned, but I would suggest you to take a ferry instead of train at least at the time being until the train is inserted as an eligible way of exit the Guangdong province in Timatic.