Dongxing border gate (China): location, opening hours, visa and visa run 2026

Dongxing border gate is in Dongxing city, Fangchenggang, Guangxi (China), across the Beilun River from Mong Cai International Border Gate (Quang Ninh). Mong Cai is about 300 km from Hanoi and about 180 km from Ha Long; from Dongxing the high-speed train to Nanning takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Since 23/3/2026, travellers with passports and valid documents are processed at Beilun Bridge II, 8:00–21:00 Beijing time (7:00–20:00 Vietnam time). Foreigners need a Chinese visa obtained in advance or must qualify for visa exemption. Dongxing is China’s busiest land border crossing (about 8.58 million entries and exits in 2024), so peak hours are usually crowded.

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Dongxing border gate at a glance

Country / province	China, Dongxing city (Fangchenggang), Guangxi
Opposite border gate	Mong Cai, Quang Ninh (via Beilun Bridge I and Beilun Bridge II)
Distance	Hanoi about 300 km, Ha Long about 180 km (Vietnamese side); Nanning about 1 hour 15 minutes by high-speed train, Fangchenggang North about 20 minutes by train
Opening hours (passengers)	8:00–21:00 Beijing time (7:00–20:00 Vietnam time), daily
Visa on arrival	Not issued to individual foreign travellers
Chinese e-visa	Not applicable; you need a visa sticker obtained in advance or visa exemption
240-hour transit	Not available at this gate

Border gate location on Google Maps

Tap the button below to open Google Maps on your phone and get directions straight to the border gate.

Get directions to the border gate View on Google Maps

Chinese visa when entering via Dongxing

The most important point: China does not issue visas at Dongxing border gate (there is no visa on arrival at land crossings with Vietnam). If your nationality is not visa-exempt, you must apply for a Chinese visa in advance, at the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi or the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City (usually by submitting your application through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center), or in your home country. China also has no tourist e-visa that ordinary travellers can use instead of a visa sticker.

30-day unilateral visa exemption: citizens of about 50 countries holding ordinary passports can enter China without a visa and stay up to 30 days for tourism, business, visiting family, exchanges or transit. The list includes most European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden…), Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, some Latin American and Gulf countries, Russia (from 15/9/2025), and the UK and Canada (from 17/2/2026). For most countries on the list it applies until 31/12/2026. According to Chinese guidance, this policy applies at ports open to foreigners, including land crossings.
Mutual visa exemption: Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are visa-exempt for 30 days under agreements with China.
Visa required in advance: nationalities not in either group above, for example US citizens.
The 240-hour (10-day) transit policy cannot be used at Dongxing. It only applies at 65 designated ports. In Guangxi these are only Nanning (Wuxu), Guilin and Beihai airports and Beihai passenger port; in Yunnan only Kunming and Lijiang airports and Mohan railway station. Travellers must also hold an onward ticket to a third country: a Vietnam – China – Vietnam trip does not meet this condition. From 20/8/2026 the 240-hour transit list grows to 57 countries (adding Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan), but land crossings with Vietnam are still not on the list.

The visa exemption list changes fairly often and the current period ends on 31/12/2026, so check with the Chinese Embassy or the website of China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) before you go. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 more months.

Crossing at Dongxing step by step

Arrive at the Mong Cai border area and head to the Beilun Bridge II entrance. Under the traffic arrangement from 23/3/2026, Beilun Bridge I is mainly for border residents, border pass holders and some special cases; the entry lane at Beilun Bridge I remains suspended (as reported in August 2026).
Complete Vietnamese exit formalities, then cross the bridge to the Dongxing control area.
Fill in the arrival card, show your passport and visa (or visa exemption), have your photo and fingerprints taken and your luggage scanned. The pedestrian lane is usually faster than the vehicle lane.
If you are doing a visa run: complete Chinese exit formalities and return to Beilun Bridge II.
Enter Vietnam at Mong Cai with an e-visa, temporary residence card, visa exemption certificate or visa exemption.

Where to go from Dongxing border gate

Within Dongxing city: take a taxi to Dongxing station or your hotel; agree on the fare first if the driver does not use the meter.
To Nanning: the Fangchenggang – Dongxing high-speed line has run since late 2023; Dongxing – Nanning trains take from about 1 hour 13 minutes to almost 2 hours, with tickets about 108–118 yuan depending on the service.
To Fangchenggang and Beihai: there are trains and the Qinzhou – Dongxing expressway; the train to Fangchenggang North takes about 20 minutes.
Vietnamese side: from Mong Cai, buses to Ha Long take about 3 hours; to Hanoi, take a bus or a shuttle service.

Documents to bring

A passport valid for at least 6 more months with blank pages.
A valid Chinese visa (already in your passport), unless you are visa-exempt. Visas cannot be obtained at the border.
Documents to re-enter Vietnam: an e-visa (printed, with the correct gate selected), temporary residence card, 5-year visa exemption certificate, or a nationality on the list of visa-exempt countries.
Some cash in Chinese yuan (CNY) for taxis and food; in China most payments are made with Alipay/WeChat Pay, so install them beforehand and link an international card.
Details of your accommodation or itinerary in China, in case border officers ask.

Visa run via Dongxing border gate

Via Mong Cai – Dongxing, you exit Vietnam, enter China and then return to Vietnam on new documents. This route suits people living in Quang Ninh or Hai Phong, but it is only feasible if you are visa-exempt for China or already hold a Chinese visa. See China visa run, is a visa run legal and Info Travel’s visa run service. Other border gates with China: Youyiguan – Pingxiang and Hekou.

Tips for crossing at Dongxing

The traffic arrangement between Beilun Bridges I and II has changed several times in 2026; ask which lane is for foreigners before you go.
China is 1 hour ahead of Vietnam. The gate closes at about 20:00 Vietnam time; arrive before 16:00.
This gate is very busy with Vietnamese and Chinese tourists, and queues are long at weekends and on public holidays.
When applying for a Vietnam e-visa, choose Mong Cai as your entry gate; see the list of border gates accepting the e-visa.
Change money at banks or licensed counters; avoid changing with strangers around the bridge.
Do not overstay your Vietnamese visa (see visa overstay); when you return, remember the temporary residence declaration.

Frequently asked questions

Do foreigners cross at Beilun Bridge I or Beilun Bridge II?

Under the arrangement from 23/3/2026, travellers with passports and valid documents are processed at Beilun Bridge II. Check again before you go, as the rules may be adjusted.