China 240 visa

Question

Hi all

Question on 240hr visa for china

Going in march 26

Flying Manchester uk to Doha then Doha to Beijing

Spending 8 days sightseeing then leaving on a cruise to Japan for 7 nights then returning to china for two nights then fly back china to Doha then to UK

I am staying in areas allowed if I use 240 visa

Question being can I get 240 visa on first arrival and again on return from Japan another 240

Many thanks

Answer

Here’s a breakdown of your itinerary and how it relates to the 240-hour Visa-Free Transit Policy (sometimes called “10-day visa-free transit”) for mainland China, along with what you should be aware of when planning to use it.

What the 240-hour visa-free transit policy covers:

It allows eligible foreign nationals (from about 55 countries) to transit through selected ports in China and stay for up to 240 hours (10 days) without a standard tourist visa.
You must arrive via an eligible port/entry point, and depart to a third country or region (i.e., not the country you came from).
You must hold onward travel tickets with confirmed seat(s) to that third country/region within the 240-hour period.
You must stay within the permitted geographical areas and ports as defined in the policy.

Now looking at your specific itinerary:

Your plan:

Fly Manchester (UK) → Doha → Beijing on March 26. Arrive in China. You’ll spend 8 days sightseeing in China.
Then you leave China on a cruise to Japan for 7 nights.
Return to China for two nights after the cruise, then fly China → Doha → UK.

So effectively you have two separate China stays: first a longer 8-day stay, then after Japan you return for another 2 nights.

Key questions & considerations:

Is your first stay of 8 days eligible under the 240-hour policy? Yes — 8 days is within the 10-day (240-hour) limit, assuming you meet all the requirements: eligible nationality, arriving via an approved port, ticketed to a third country (Japan) after Chinese stay, etc.
Can you use the 240 policy again on your return after the cruise? This is less clear. While your second stay is only 2 nights, the policy is designed for one transit per port/requirement entry. Whether immigration will allow a second separate “independent” 240-hour stay in the same year (or even from the same arrival port) can depend on your entry/exit points, how your tickets are structured, and whether you meet the conditions again (i.e., arriving from Japan to China then departing to a third country beyond that). There is no publicly guaranteed “reset” for a second stay — it may depend on individual circumstances and discretion of border officials.
Is Japan considered a “third country” for the purpose of the policy? Yes — you are leaving China to Japan (which is not the country you entered from), so that leg should qualify as the onward “third country” requirement for the first stay. Then you re-enter China from Japan, so your second stay maybe qualifies again assuming all conditions are met (arrival at eligible port, departure to yet another third country, etc.).

What you should check & plan carefully:

Ensure your nationality is one of the eligible countries under the 240-hour policy. (UK citizens are eligible. )
Ensure the port of arrival into China and the port of departure (after Japan) are among the approved ports for the policy. For example, if arriving in Beijing via Beijing Capital or Daxing airports, those are approved.
Ensure your onward ticket out of China after your first stay (to Japan) is confirmed and shows a destination outside China. Similarly, when you return after Japan, ensure your final departure (China → Doha/UK) qualifies as to a “third country.”
Confirm you stay within the geographical regions allowed under the policy during your stay in China (cross-province travel is now allowed under many of the new rules).
When re-entering China after Japan, you must enter via an approved port and meet the policy again (passport validity, onward ticket, etc.). If you entered via one port and exit via another, that might complicate things depending on the local immigration desk’s interpretation.
Be aware that immigration authorities may refuse the 240-hour permit if conditions are not strictly met: e.g., your passport has less than 3 months validity, you don’t have confirmed onward tickets, you have been refused a visa previously, etc.

My assessment & recommendation:

Your first stay of 8 days is well within the policy, and looks like it should qualify. The bigger question is the second stay of 2 nights — technically it could qualify if you re-enter China under the policy rules again, with appropriate arrival port and onward ticket. However, because this is somewhat less standard (one transit, then exit, then re-entry), there is a possibility immigration may treat your second visit differently or require you to have obtained a full visa rather than a transit waiver. To avoid risk, you might consider obtaining a regular tourist visa for the second part, or at least check your port/airline booking exactly matches the policy requirements for a second transit stay.

If you are certain of arrival port, departure port, onward ticket, and region of stay, you could certainly attempt to use the 240-hour waiver for both stays. But if any of those conditions are grey, it may be safer to apply for a tourist visa (L-visa) for peace of mind.

In summary:

Yes, your first 8-day stay appears eligible under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.
For the second stay of 2 nights: possible, but less guaranteed — check all conditions carefully or consider a traditional visa.

Hope this helps you plan with more confidence — safe travels and enjoy your time in China and Japan!