Citizens of the following countries may enter China and spend 144 hours (6 days) without applying for an entry visa for China

Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

South African citizens are only given a 24-hour visa-free entry.

China introduced visa free access which is eligible to most nationalities mentioned above. To confirm if this applies to you click here.

Before your tour to North Korea (China to Pyongyang)

Please inform us during your booking process if you intend on using the Chinese transit visa so we can prepare the necessary documents for you.

Step 1: Passengers may choose to enter or leave China from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Daxing International Airport (PKX), Beijing West Railway Station, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Seaport, Shijiazhuang International Airport or Qinhuangdao International Seaport.

All Air Koryo flights operate from Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2.

Chinese transit visas can only be used for flights between Beijing and Pyongyang. It CANNOT be used for the train between China and North Korea.

Step 2: When you first approach the check-in counter at your origin, the passenger must present printed documents before boarding the flight to China. We will email a scanned copy of these two documents:

• Confirmation flight itinerary to North Korea (Pyongyang).
• A scanned copy of your North Korea visa

If you wish to use the 144-hour transit visa on your first arrival into Beijing, we recommend to arrive the day before the North Korea tour commences to ensure your DPRK visa has been issued by the embassy before your departure from your origin location to Beijing. This is to avoid missing your flight due to delays of your North Korea visa being released.

After your tour to North Korea (Pyongyang to China)

Step 1: You must bring with you a printed copy of your flight itinerary showing your full name, time, date, reservation number, and your flight departing from one of the following locations:

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Daxing International Airport (PKX), Beijing West Railway Station, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Tianjin International Seaport, Shijiazhuang International Airport or Qinhuangdao International Seaport

Step 2: Your flight must exit mainland China completely – meaning it must arrive in another country. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau are considered outside of mainland China.

Examples of using the Chinese transit visa

Example 1: Your departing flight leaves London Heathrow on British Airways and arrives into Beijing Daxing Airport. Your next flight with Air Koryo departs the following day from Beijing Capital Airport and arrives into Pyongyang. This complies with transit visa requirements.

Example 2: Your departing China Southern flight leaves from London to Guangzhou International Airport. You will then change to another China Southern flight to Beijing Capital Airport. This does not meet the transit visa requirements and you will not be allowed to board your initial flight departing from London.

Example 3: You’ve finished your tour in North Korea, and have arrived back into Beijing Capital Airport. Your next flight is departing from Beijing Capital airport to Hong Kong. This complies with transit visa requirements.

Example 4: You’ve finished your tour in North Korea, and have arrived back into Beijing Capital Airport. Your next flight is to Bangkok but it has a transit stop in Chengdu. This does not meet the transit visa requirements and you will not be allowed to board your initial flight departing from Pyongyang.

Customers are responsible for ensuring the above policies and requirements are followed correctly and accept that YPT will bear no responsibility for any costs incurred if not. YPT strongly advise all travellers to check the diplomatic situation between China and their home country as conditions or policies may change at any time. It’s important to note that the decision to grant a transit visa ultimately lies with Chinese immigration.