China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has officially brought five additional checkpoints in Guangdong province into its 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit programme, effective 5 November 2025. The newly-designated ports are Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Hengqin Port, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Port, Zhongshan Passenger Port and West Kowloon Station on the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed rail. Their inclusion lifts the total number of eligible entry points nationwide from 60 to 65 ports, spanning 24 provincial-level regions.
Under the policy, travellers from 55 countries who hold a valid onward ticket to a third destination may enter China through any of the 65 ports and remain in the permitted region for up to 240 hours without procuring a Chinese visa in advance. During the stay they may engage in tourism, business meetings, family visits and trade fairs, although activities that require prior authorisation—such as employment, study or journalism—still demand the appropriate visas.
![China adds five Guangdong checkpoints to 240-hour visa-free transit scheme]()
The move is timed to coincide with the Canton Fair and the China International Import Expo, both magnets for foreign buyers and exhibitors. Business chambers say the extra entry points around the Pearl River Delta will shorten travel times for delegates who previously had to route through Guangzhou Baiyun Airport or Shenzhen Bao’an Airport, cutting door-to-show-floor journeys by several hours. Logistics firms are also upbeat, noting that ferry and rail connections can reduce the cost of shipping promotional materials and booth equipment.
From a policy perspective, the expansion underlines Beijing’s wider strategy of turning Guangdong into a gateway for the Greater Bay Area. It follows a string of measures—such as multi-entry visas for foreign ship crews in Nansha and streamlined customs clearance for cross-border e-commerce—that collectively aim to deepen integration with Hong Kong and Macao while attracting high-value service industries to southern China.
For corporate mobility managers, the practical takeaway is to update travel policies and internal guidance: international assignees or short-term visitors transiting via Hong Kong can now take the high-speed train directly into mainland China visa-free, provided they meet the 240-hour and onward-ticket requirements. HR departments should also remind travellers that the visa-free clock starts at 00:00 the day after arrival, giving them effectively almost 11 calendar days on the ground if they time their flights carefully.
Under the policy, travellers from 55 countries who hold a valid onward ticket to a third destination may enter China through any of the 65 ports and remain in the permitted region for up to 240 hours without procuring a Chinese visa in advance. During the stay they may engage in tourism, business meetings, family visits and trade fairs, although activities that require prior authorisation—such as employment, study or journalism—still demand the appropriate visas.
The move is timed to coincide with the Canton Fair and the China International Import Expo, both magnets for foreign buyers and exhibitors. Business chambers say the extra entry points around the Pearl River Delta will shorten travel times for delegates who previously had to route through Guangzhou Baiyun Airport or Shenzhen Bao’an Airport, cutting door-to-show-floor journeys by several hours. Logistics firms are also upbeat, noting that ferry and rail connections can reduce the cost of shipping promotional materials and booth equipment.
From a policy perspective, the expansion underlines Beijing’s wider strategy of turning Guangdong into a gateway for the Greater Bay Area. It follows a string of measures—such as multi-entry visas for foreign ship crews in Nansha and streamlined customs clearance for cross-border e-commerce—that collectively aim to deepen integration with Hong Kong and Macao while attracting high-value service industries to southern China.
For corporate mobility managers, the practical takeaway is to update travel policies and internal guidance: international assignees or short-term visitors transiting via Hong Kong can now take the high-speed train directly into mainland China visa-free, provided they meet the 240-hour and onward-ticket requirements. HR departments should also remind travellers that the visa-free clock starts at 00:00 the day after arrival, giving them effectively almost 11 calendar days on the ground if they time their flights carefully.
