Can I layover on another mainland Chinese city when I leave

Question

I am a US citizen and recently entered Hainan through the 30-day visa-free scheme. I was wondering if I could lay over in Chengdu or other Chinese cities to the United States when I leave Hainan. It will only be a layover of less than 24 hours. Does it comply with the policy?

Answer

As a US citizen who entered Hainan under the 30-day visa-free scheme, you are allowed to stay in Hainan without a visa for up to 30 days. However, the visa-free policy is limited to Hainan province only and does not extend to other mainland Chinese cities.

Regarding your question about laying over in another Chinese city such as Chengdu before flying back to the United States:

Layover within China: If you plan to leave Hainan and transit through another Chinese city, such as Chengdu, even for less than 24 hours, you would normally be entering mainland China outside of Hainan. This counts as regular entry into mainland China and is not covered under the Hainan visa-free scheme.
Visa requirement: To transit through another mainland Chinese city, you would need a valid Chinese visa (single or multiple entry) or qualify for a 24-hour or 144-hour transit visa exemption, depending on your flight arrangements and destination.
Exceptions: Some international airports in China offer 24-hour or 144-hour transit without a visa for passengers flying to a third country. You would need to confirm that Chengdu airport qualifies for this, and that your onward flight to the US meets the criteria.

Additional considerations:

Check with your airline to see if a stopover in Chengdu is allowed under a transit without visa (TWOV) scheme.
If you cannot meet the TWOV conditions, you would need to obtain a Chinese visa before leaving Hainan if you wish to transit through another mainland city.
Remaining strictly within Hainan or flying directly from Hainan to your next international destination is the simplest way to comply with the 30-day visa-free entry.

In summary, under the Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, you cannot freely lay over in other mainland Chinese cities without either qualifying for a separate transit visa exemption or having a valid Chinese visa. A short layover in Chengdu would likely require a visa or eligibility for the 24-hour/144-hour transit scheme.