Transit visa for Shanghai (PVG)
Who can connect at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, without a visa: an airside transfer on one ticket, staying in the international transit area.
- Indian passportNo transit visa needed
24-hour visa-free transit: a confirmed onward international flight to a third country within 24 hours, staying in the airport. Over 24 hours, or leaving the airport, needs a Chinese visa.
- Pakistani passportNo transit visa needed
24-hour visa-free transit: a confirmed onward international flight to a third country within 24 hours, staying in the airport. Over 24 hours, or leaving the airport, needs a Chinese visa.
- Bangladeshi passportNo transit visa needed
24-hour visa-free transit: a confirmed onward international flight to a third country within 24 hours, staying in the airport. Over 24 hours, or leaving the airport, needs a Chinese visa.
- Sri Lankan passportNo transit visa needed
24-hour visa-free transit: a confirmed onward international flight to a third country within 24 hours, staying in the airport. Over 24 hours, or leaving the airport, needs a Chinese visa.
- Nepali passportNo transit visa needed
24-hour visa-free transit: a confirmed onward international flight to a third country within 24 hours, staying in the airport. Over 24 hours, or leaving the airport, needs a Chinese visa.
Leaving the airport during the layover
None of these passports can use China's 240-hour visa-free transit, so leaving the airport needs a Chinese visa or a discretionary 24-hour temporary entry permit from the border inspection.
Watch out
A domestic leg inside China, or a switch of airports in the same city (PEK and PKX, PVG and SHA), means entering China, so a visa is needed. The 24-hour limit is strict.
Checked on 25 October 2026 against these sources. Transit rules change often, and the airline and the immigration authority have the final say, so confirm with your airline before you travel.