China's National Immigration Administration added Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam to two of its main visa-free schemes on 20 August 2026, with the change taking effect the same day. Citizens of both countries holding ordinary passports can now enter China without a visa for up to 240 hours, ten days, while transiting to a third country or region, and can separately enter Hainan province visa-free for up to 30 days. The transit policy now covers 57 countries and the Hainan policy covers 61. Nothing is required in advance beyond an ordinary passport and a confirmed onward ticket. The scheme still excludes work, study and journalism, which need the appropriate visa obtained before travel.
Background
The 240-hour transit rule is the current form of a mechanism China has widened in stages for several years. It began as a 72-hour and then a 144-hour transit allowance available at a limited set of airports, and was extended to 240 hours across a much larger group of ports, with travellers permitted to move within designated areas rather than being confined to the airport city. Hainan's arrangement is separate: an island-wide 30-day visa-free entry supporting the province's status as a free trade port and tourism hub. Both policies are administered by the National Immigration Administration and adjusted by announcement rather than by treaty, which is why the eligible-country list has moved repeatedly and why published lists go out of date quickly. The addition of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam continues that pattern, and follows deepening travel links between China and both neighbours.
What exactly changed
Two lists each grew by two countries. Under the 240-hour transit policy, Kyrgyz and Vietnamese citizens holding ordinary passports and interline tickets with confirmed dates and itineraries bound for a third country or region may now enter China through any of 65 open ports, including those serving Beijing and Shanghai, and stay for no more than 240 hours within the designated areas. That brings the transit list to 57 countries. Under the Hainan policy, ordinary-passport holders from the same two countries may enter through Hainan's open ports and remain visa-free in the province for up to 30 days, bringing that list to 61. During a stay under either policy, travellers may undertake tourism, business, exchange visits and family visits. Employment, study and news reporting are not covered and still require the correct visa issued before departure.
The two policies at a glance
- 240-hour transit: up to 10 days, 65 open ports, onward ticket to a third country or region required, now 57 eligible countries.
- Hainan 30-day entry: up to 30 days within Hainan province, entry through Hainan's open ports, now 61 eligible countries.
- Permitted: tourism, business, exchange visits, family visits.
- Not permitted without a visa: employment, study, journalistic activity.
- Effective: 20 August 2026, announced the same day by the National Immigration Administration.
Who it affects
The direct beneficiaries are Kyrgyz and Vietnamese nationals, and the effect reaches past tourism. Someone flying from Bishkek or Hanoi to a third country with a connection in Beijing or Shanghai can now break the journey for several days without applying for anything. A Vietnamese professional routing through China on the way to a job interview or a relocation scouting trip can use the stopover for meetings, since business activity is explicitly permitted. Families split across the region gain a low-friction way to meet in China rather than in a third country. The Hainan route serves a different case: a straightforward 30-day stay on the island with no transit requirement at all, which suits longer visits and extended family trips. For everyone else, the useful information is the corrected count. As of 20 August 2026 the figures are 57 countries for transit and 61 for Hainan.
What this means in practice
Confirm three things before booking. The passport must be an ordinary one, since diplomatic and service passports run under separate arrangements. The onward ticket must be interline, with a confirmed date and itinerary, to a third country or region, so a return to the country you departed from does not qualify. And the port of entry must be one of the 65 open ports, which is the detail travellers most often get wrong when connecting through a smaller airport. The 240 hours run from entry, and permitted movement is within designated areas rather than the whole country. If the purpose of the trip is a job, a course or reporting, the transit policy is the wrong instrument and a visa application is required before travel. Our country guides at /country-guides/china, /country-guides/vietnam and /country-guides/kyrgyzstan cover the wider entry and residence picture, and the National Immigration Administration is the authority for individual eligibility.
When it takes effect
Both changes took effect on 20 August 2026, the day the National Immigration Administration published the announcement. There is no application step and no transition period.
Check the permitted area before you book
The announcement as published describes the region a 240-hour transit passenger may move within as designated areas, without listing the provinces and municipalities covered. If your plan involves travelling beyond the port city, confirm the permitted area with the National Immigration Administration or your carrier before booking rather than at the border.
Key Takeaway
Kyrgyz and Vietnamese passport holders can transit China visa-free for 10 days through 65 ports, or spend 30 days in Hainan, from 20 August 2026. Work, study and journalism still need a visa.