Beijing layover (PEK and PKX): China’s 240-hour visa-free transit
Beijing has two international airports, Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX). If you are eligible, China’s visa-free transit policy lets you leave the airport and stay up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa. This page gives the policy only as the National Immigration Administration (NIA) states it on its English pages, read on 16 October 2026, where the policy text is dated 20 August 2026. It gives no transfer times or fares between the airports and the city, because we could not confirm them on an official page and do not guess.
Last updated: October 16, 2026
Who is covered
The NIA says travelers must hold ordinary passports and onward tickets with confirmed seats and departure dates. It lists 57 eligible countries. Europe (40): Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. North America (2): Canada and the United States. South America (4): Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Oceania (2): Australia and New Zealand. Asia (9): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added by NIA Announcement No. 4 of 2026, effective 20 August 2026, which raised the count to 57.
The conditions
The traveler is transiting to a third country or region, holds valid travel documents and holds an onward ticket with confirmed seats and departure dates, and enters through one of the 65 open ports. The stay is limited to 240 hours, in designated areas. Tourism, business, visits and family reunions are allowed. Work, study and news reporting require prior approval and the appropriate visa.
The policy is written for travelers continuing to a third country or region. A ticket that returns you to the country you started from is not obviously a ticket to a third country, so ask your airline or a Chinese embassy or consulate before you rely on it.
What we could not read
The NIA publishes the list of the 65 ports and the designated stay areas as images. We could not read them as text, so we cannot tell you which Beijing airport entries are on the list or where the permitted areas end. The announcement text says only that the 65 ports include ports in Beijing and Shanghai. Check the images on the NIA page, linked below, for PEK and PKX before you book.
Planning the connection
Because the policy is built on an onward ticket with confirmed seats and departure dates, keep that ticket with your passport. If your tickets are separate, read our guide on bags checked through or rechecked, and our guide on transit visas and entry visas for the other countries on your route.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I leave Beijing airport on a layover without a visa?
Do Brazilians need a visa for a layover in Beijing?
How long can I stay in China under the policy?
Can I work or study under the visa-free transit?
Sources
Official pages read for this guide
- National Immigration Administration of China: 240-hour visa-free transit policy · read on October 16, 2026
- National Immigration Administration of China: Announcement No. 4 of 2026 · read on October 16, 2026