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Xi'an Xianyang Transit Visa 2026

Not for a stay of up to 24 hours inside the airport's restricted area, whatever your nationality. To leave the airport visa-free for up to 240 hours, you must hold an ordinary passport from one of the 57 countries on China's list and an onward ticket to a third country or region; Xian Xianyang International Airport is one of the 65 designated ports, and the permitted stay area is Shaanxi Province. Everyone else leaving the airport needs a visa or a temporary entry permit.

Airside transit zone at Xi'an Xianyang

China's 24-hour visa-free transit applies at all open ports, including Xian Xianyang International Airport: nationals of any country may stay up to 24 hours without a visa if they hold an onward international ticket with a confirmed seat and do not leave the port's restricted area. Leaving that area requires a temporary entry permit from the port's immigration inspection authority first (NIA, read 14 September 2026).

Usually need a transit visa

  • • Nationals of countries not on the 240-hour list who want to leave the airport's restricted area
  • • Anyone whose onward journey returns to the country they departed from, rather than a third country or region
  • • Anyone intending to work, study or report news, which require prior approval and a visa

Usually exempt

  • • 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, United Kingdom
  • • North America (2): Canada, United States
  • • South America (4): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico
  • • Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand
  • • Asia (9): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam

Visa types + cost

24-hour visa-free transit

Duration
Up to 24 hours, inside the port's restricted area
Price
No visa required
Process
No application. Hold valid international travel documents and an onward international flight, ship or train ticket with a confirmed seat.

240-hour visa-free transit

Duration
Up to 240 hours (10 days) within Shaanxi Province
Price
No visa required
Process
For nationals of the 57 listed countries with an ordinary passport and an onward ticket to a third country or region with a confirmed seat and departure date. Enter through Xian Xianyang International Airport or another of the 65 designated ports.

Real scenarios

Scenario 1
UK citizen flying London → Xi'an → Tokyo, stopping three days
Visa-free under the 240-hour policy: the UK is on the list, Tokyo is a third country, and the stay stays within Shaanxi Province.
Scenario 2
US citizen flying New York → Xi'an → New York
Not covered by the 240-hour policy, which is for transit to a third country or region.
Scenario 3
Indian citizen with a 6-hour connection at XIY, staying in the airport
Covered by the 24-hour visa-free transit, which applies to all nationalities who stay in the port's restricted area with a confirmed onward international ticket.
Scenario 4
Vietnamese citizen flying Hanoi → Xi'an → Paris with a two-day stop
Visa-free under the 240-hour policy since 20 August 2026, when Vietnam was added to the list.

Official source

https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147463/c183412/content.html

Visa rules change frequently. Always verify with the official source before travel.