A practical guide for transit travellers: who qualifies for the 240-hour visa-free stay, what to do in the first 30 minutes after landing, how to actually pay for things, and a plan that fits whatever clock you're on — six hours, a day, or the full ten.
Four questions, based on the rules published by China's National Immigration Administration. Not a substitute for an official decision — the border officer has the final say.
Shenzhen has two realistic ways in on the 240-hour scheme, and the arrival sequence is different enough that mixing them up costs you time. Tap the one you are using — the full step-by-step walkthrough is on the Landing page.
You cannot enter mainland China on the 240-hour scheme at Lo Wu, Futian, Huanggang, Shenzhen Bay, Liantang, Man Kam To or Sha Tau Kok. Guangdong has exactly ten eligible entry ports, and none of those road crossings is one of them — they are exit ports only. If you walk up to Lo Wu expecting a transit permit, you will be turned away. From Hong Kong, the two lawful entry points on this scheme are West Kowloon Station by train and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (which lands you in Zhuhai, not Shenzhen).
Policies move fast and are applied at the discretion of the border officer in front of you. This site summarises publicly announced rules and is not legal advice. Cross-check anything time-critical with the National Immigration Administration hotline 12367 (English available), your airline, or your embassy. Every page on this site shows a "last reviewed" date — use it.