MundoKit

China 24-hour transit checker

Enter the first mainland arrival and final departure in China local time. Check basic transit conditions and see whether your plans require temporary entry permission.

Inputs
Select the last jurisdiction before mainland China, including connections.
Use the first onward stop, not the final destination.
YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm. Include the whole mainland transit, not just the final layover.

Results

24-hour transit screening
Basic restricted-area conditions met
Total scheduled mainland transit
12h 0m
Conservative arrival + 24h boundary (China local)
2026-11-15 08:00
Leaving the restricted area
Not included in this screening
Basic conditions
ConditionResult
Conservative elapsed-time screen (not a confirmed legal clock)Within 24 hours
Different preceding and onward jurisdictionsPass
Valid international travel documentPass
Confirmed onward international seatsPass
  • The NIA rule covers all foreign nationalities at all open exit-entry ports. This is a basic policy check, not confirmation that your specific transfer is operationally possible.
  • Confirm with your carrier whether baggage collection, terminal changes, airport changes or domestic connections require leaving the restricted area. Obtain temporary entry permission before doing so.
  • Arrival plus 24 hours is a conservative screening assumption. Shanghai’s official 24-hour FAQ specifies next midnight; the current NIA overview does not settle the clock or its airside/temporary-entry scope. Longer stays need confirmation from port immigration; no longer stay is authorized by this calculation.
  • A short layover does not guarantee permission to visit the city. Any issued permit and the port’s instructions control your actual entry and departure.
  • Unknown route names need manual review; enter country or region names rather than airports. Other visa or visa-free policies are not assessed.

Results update as you type. The share link stores your inputs after the # in the address, which is not sent to our server, but anyone you send it to can read them.

Last checked 2026-11-14. Rules change, sometimes at short notice. We list the date we last checked each official source; confirm with the official government source before you travel, buy or file. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.

How it works

The NIA interpretation dated August 20, 2026 covers foreign nationals transiting to another country or region through open ports. It requires a valid international travel document, confirmed onward international flight, ship or train seats, and no more than 24 hours in China. Remaining within the port’s restricted area is a separate condition.

Scheduled mainland transit = final mainland departure − first mainland arrival
Conservative screening assumption: 0 < elapsed time ≤ 24 hours

Enter both times in China local time to the minute. There is no rounding. Arrival plus 24 hours is a conservative screening assumption, not a verified legal clock. Shanghai’s official 24-hour FAQ states that counting starts at next-day midnight; the current NIA overview does not resolve the start time or its restricted-area versus temporary-entry scope. Longer elapsed stays return manual confirmation, not a definitive time-based refusal. Ask port immigration which clock and deadline apply. Exactly 24 elapsed hours is within the conservative screen but leaves no margin. A visit to the city, or any transfer that leaves the restricted area, requires temporary entry permission first. The checker cannot issue or predict that permission.

Worked examples

12-hour restricted-area connection

United Kingdom → Beijing → Japan, arriving November 14, 2026 at 08:00 and departing at 20:00, is 12h 0m. With valid documents and confirmed seats, the basic restricted-area conditions are met. The conservative arrival-plus-24-hour boundary is November 15 at 08:00.

Same 12 hours, with a city visit and no reported exclusions

The same 08:00–20:00 connection remains 12h 0m, but leaving the restricted area without an issued permit produces “Temporary entry permit required”. The layover duration alone does not authorize sightseeing.

One minute over the conservative screen

Arrival November 14, 2026 at 08:00 and departure November 15 at 08:01 is 24h 1m. It produces “Manual confirmation needed” for either restricted-area transit or temporary entry because the official clock guidance is unresolved.

Frequently asked questions

Which nationalities can use the basic 24-hour rule?
The NIA overview applies it to nationals of all other countries at all open exit-entry ports. The 57-country list belongs to the separate 240-hour scheme.
Can I leave the airport during a short layover?
You must first obtain a temporary entry permit from the port immigration inspection authority. NIA excludes documents with less than three months of remaining validity or Chinese visa-refusal stamps, illegal entry, exit, residence or employment records within five years, serious accommodation-registration violations within two years, and other legal entry bars. These permit-specific questions appear only when entry is needed. Unsure answers require confirmation; a short layover does not guarantee issuance.
What if I have to collect bags or change airports?
Ask your carrier whether the transfer requires leaving the restricted area. Select the entry-required option if it does. The tool measures the whole mainland transit and does not restart the clock at each airport.
Does the 24-hour clock start at midnight?
Shanghai’s official 24-hour FAQ says next-day midnight, but the current NIA overview does not specify the start or distinguish its application to restricted-area transit and temporary entry. This checker uses arrival plus 24 hours only as a conservative screening assumption. A longer stay needs port immigration confirmation; the tool does not authorize the extra time.
What if my flight is delayed?
Recalculate using the changed departure and contact the carrier and port immigration authority. A scheduled connection within 24 hours does not authorize an actual overstay.
Does this tool verify airport transfer facilities?
No. Confirm restricted-area access and transfer procedures with your carrier and the port, especially for separate bookings or terminal changes. Route selectors use the FCDO country list plus Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, independently of passport eligibility. Unlisted territories need manual review.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-11-14; next review due by 2027-02-12. The method is written out above so you can check our math.