144 hour transit visa

Question

Hi,

I have 3 questions:

1. I (a UK passport holder) am travelling from London to Tokyo with a 3 hour stop off in Beijing. Then on the return leg, I am flying from Tokyo to Beijing with a 3 day stop off in Beijing and then flying to London. Am I correct that this qualifies for the 144 hour transit visa?

2. My daughter is currently in Japan on a temporary Japanese visa and is a UK passport holder. She will be flying with me from Tokyo to Beijing, staying for 3 days and then flying back to Beijing but via S Korea. Would she qualify for the 144 hour transit visa?

3. Are we allowed to travel to the Great Wall on the transit visa? Is it called 'in Beijing'?

Many thanks in advance.

Answer

Yes, both you and your daughter can likely qualify for China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy in Beijing, but only if your travel routes meet the “third country” rule. Let’s go through each of your situations carefully:

1. Your situation (London → Beijing → Tokyo → Beijing → London)

On your first stop in Beijing (a 3-hour layover), you are simply transiting onward to Tokyo — that part is fine under the 24-hour visa-free transit policy since you will not be leaving the airport. On your return leg, when you fly Tokyo → Beijing → London and plan to stay 3 days, this fits the requirement for the 144-hour visa-free transit, provided that:

Your flight route is Japan → Beijing → UK (two different countries before and after China).
You arrive directly in Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) or Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX).
You do not travel outside the designated 144-hour area (Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province).

As long as your onward flight departs directly to the UK and you do not have another stop in China after Beijing, you fully qualify for the 144-hour transit visa exemption.

2. Your daughter’s situation (Tokyo → Beijing → South Korea)

Your daughter is also a UK passport holder and will be traveling from Japan to Beijing, then on to South Korea. This route also satisfies the key requirement for the 144-hour visa-free transit because she is transiting through China from one country (Japan) to another (South Korea). The fact that she is temporarily residing in Japan does not affect eligibility, as what matters is her nationality (UK passport) and travel route.

As long as she meets the same entry and exit conditions — arriving in Beijing, staying within the allowed region, and departing within 144 hours — she too can use the 144-hour visa-free transit policy.

Must enter and exit through approved ports (Beijing Capital or Daxing Airport).
Must have confirmed onward ticket to a third country (South Korea qualifies).
Stay limited to 144 hours within Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

3. Visiting the Great Wall on a 144-hour transit visa

Yes, absolutely — visiting the Great Wall is allowed under the 144-hour visa-free transit as long as you stay within the Beijing administrative area. Most popular Great Wall sections such as Badaling, Mutianyu, and Juyongguan are all located within the approved Beijing region, so they are perfectly fine to visit.

Permitted areas under 144-hour transit visa: Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, and Hebei Province.
Famous Great Wall sections like Badaling, Mutianyu, and Juyongguan are within Beijing and allowed to visit.
Travel outside these regions (for example to Shanghai or Xi’an) is not allowed without a regular visa.

Summary:

Both you and your daughter qualify for the 144-hour visa-free transit as long as your flight routes strictly follow the “third country” rule and you remain within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area. You can freely explore Beijing’s attractions including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Summer Palace during your stay. Be sure to bring printed copies of your onward flight tickets and hotel reservations to show immigration officers upon arrival.

144 hour transit visa

More Beijing Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions