China Visitor Tools

240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Through Guangzhou

Guangzhou anchors the Greater Bay Area play: Guangdong is a full-scope province, and its port list - airports, ferry terminals, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the West Kowloon rail station - makes exiting via Hong Kong simple.

The facts for Guangzhou

Designated entry / exit ports in Guangdong

  • Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (Guangzhou)
  • Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal (Guangzhou)
  • Guangzhou Nansha Seaport (passenger) (Guangzhou)
  • Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (Shenzhen)
  • Shenzhen Shekou Seaport (passenger) (Shenzhen)
  • Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport (Jieyang)
  • Zhongshan Port (passenger) (Zhongshan)
  • Hengqin Port (Zhuhai)
  • Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Zhuhai Port (Zhuhai)
  • Hong Kong West Kowloon Station (mainland immigration at the station) (Hong Kong / Shenzhen corridor)

Where you may travel

The whole of Guangdong is inside the permitted area, and you may combine it with any of the other 23 covered regions on the same permit.

Check your exact route

Enter your nationality, ports, cities and flight times into the free checker - it applies the same rule data as this page and tells you, rule by rule, whether your route is legal.

Check my route via Guangzhou

Mistakes that break trips here

  • Treating Hong Kong as 'part of China, so it can't count'. For the transit rule Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan DO count as third regions - Guangzhou in, Hong Kong out is the textbook route.
  • The reverse mistake: arriving FROM Hong Kong and leaving TO Hong Kong. Both legs must not be the same region.
  • Forgetting Guangxi is a different, restricted province. Guilin is fine (it is on Guangxi's list of 12), but the Detian Waterfalls near Chongzuo are not.
  • Assuming Canton Fair attendance counts as work. Business visits are an allowed purpose; taking up employment is not.

FAQ

Which Guangzhou ports can I use?

Guangzhou Baiyun Airport (CAN), the Pazhou Ferry Terminal and the Nansha seaport are all designated. Nearby Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Zhongshan ports can be mixed in for entry or exit.

Can I travel around Guangdong freely?

Yes. Guangdong is a full-scope province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan and the rest of the province are all inside the permitted area.

How do I exit to Hong Kong?

Several ways: fly from any Guangdong airport, take the ferry from Pazhou or Nansha, cross at Hengqin or the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, or ride the high-speed train to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, which is itself a designated port.

Can I add Guilin to the same trip?

Yes - Guilin is one of the 12 named cities for Guangxi, and Yangshuo is part of Guilin. But stay inside the 12: Guangxi is a named-cities province, unlike Guangdong.

Is a Canton Fair trip covered?

Business visits are an allowed purpose under the transit permit. You still need the third-country ticket and must leave within 240 hours.