Vietnam Joins China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: What Changed on August 20
Vietnam Joins the 240-Hour Circle — and Gains Hainan
Vietnam's ordinary passport holders can now enter China visa-free under the 240-hour transit arrangement, effective from August 20, using any of 65 open ports and staying up to ten days with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region. The same date added Vietnam to Hainan's separate 30-day visa-free entry, which lets travelers visit the island province directly without a transit itinerary.
The policy is already visible in the data. China recorded 17.82 million visa-free foreign entries in the first half of 2026, up 30.6 percent year on year and accounting for 77.7 percent of all foreign arrivals, according to the National Immigration Administration. Vietnam ranked as the fourth-largest source of inbound foreign travelers in the period, after South Korea, Russia and Malaysia.
For travelers from Southeast Asia the practical effect is a different kind of trip: a stopover becomes part of the holiday, and a transit visa fee and its processing time disappear. Vietnamese travel companies quoted in the coverage said transit tours were already around a tenth of their outbound international business, and expect bookings combining China with an onward destination to climb through the second half of 2026.
- 240 hours (10 days) visa-free entry with an onward ticket, through 65 ports
- Hainan separately offers 30-day visa-free entry to Vietnamese ordinary passport holders
- First-half 2026: 17.82 million visa-free entries, up 30.6 percent year on year
- Visa-free arrivals accounted for 77.7 percent of all foreign entries in the period
Who can use the 240-hour transit policy?
Eligible nationalities holding an ordinary passport and a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region — Vietnam was added on August 20, 2026, bringing the list to 57 nationalities across 65 ports.
Is Hainan covered by the transit policy?
Hainan runs its own visa-free programme for eligible nationalities, including Vietnamese ordinary passport holders, allowing a 30-day stay on the island without a transit itinerary — confirm the current list before booking.
What should travelers prepare?
A confirmed onward ticket, the address of your first stay, and awareness that the permitted stay begins the day after arrival. Rules and nationality lists change — always verify with the latest official guidance before flying.
About the Author — Sam · Senior Travel Planner. Sam designs custom itineraries for solo travelers, families and food lovers, delivering a complete plan within 48 hours.
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Source: Xinhua feature on Vietnam's visa-free travel (September 8, 2026); National Immigration Administration first-half 2026 data. Updated: September 10, 2026. Policy details and eligible nationality lists should be confirmed against the latest official announcements.
