144-hour Visa-free Transit in Xi’an

Xi'an has introduced the 144-hour visa-free transit policy since December 1, 2019. This marks that international passengers from 54 countries can expect a visa-free layover in Xi'an from then on as long as they meet the requirements. Passengers are allowed to leave the airport and tour around Xi'an City and the closely neighboring Xianyang City. The allowed stay length adds up to as long as 144 hours, ie., six days.
 

 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

Passengers can travel around Xi'an city and Xianyang, where there are abundant tourist attractions and alluring foods.
 

To be eligible for the 144-hour visa-free transit in Xi'an, passengers need to land in Xi'an Xianyang Airport and leave China via the same airport.
 

The route should look like:

A: departure country ⇒ B: Xi'an ⇒ C: the third country or region

Make sure that you don't have landings in other Chinese cities; otherwise, you may become ineligible.
 

When you board onto the plane in the departure country, inform the airline staff of your intention to use the 144-hour visa-free transit in Xi'an. Upon arrival, follow the signs in the airport to get a 144-hour visa-free stay permit.

For first-time visitors to China, especially those merely transit in the city of Xi'an, it's a must to pay a visit to the Terracotta Army, the underground army guarding the Emperor Qingshihuang's Mausoleum for over 2,200 years. You will be shocked by the numerous life-size statues of warriors, horses, and chariots.
 

Xi'an City Wall, built of grey bricks in 1370, is a witness of the city's ups and downs. Walking on the City Wall, you can feel the ancient Xi'an from the age-old magnificent military structures. If the weather is nice, cycling would be the best way to travel there.
 

If you are fond of conquering mountains, do not miss Mount Huashan. Though not outstanding in terms of height, it ranks the most precipitous mountain in China. The cliffside wood plank road is always challenging visitors' bravery and the sunrise in the east peak in the early morning is the best gift for guests.
 

The Muslim Quarter in downtown Xi'an is a paradise for foodies. You can enjoy various street snacks before the stands at roadside, like yogurt, glutinous rice cake, persimmon cake, grenadine drink, and roast mutton and beef. There are also restaurants offering the traditional local food, like Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew, cold noodles, and Chinese meat hamburger. After the food tour, you can take a trip to Drum Tower and Bell Tower, which are within walking distance.
 

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
144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Guangdong
Xiamen, Wuhan, Qingdao, Chengdu, Kunming, Chongqing