China announces significant change to visa-free transit policy

China announced some changes regarding its visa-free transit policy on Tuesday, 17th December.

These changes aim to boost international openness and encourage interpersonal exchanges.

In a statement, China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) declared that the permitted stay period for eligible foreign travelers has been extended from the previous 72 and 144 hours to a full ten days.

The changes also included an expansion of designated ports and travel regions to enhance flexibility for international visitors.

As of the end of November 2024, China already granted unilateral visa-free entry to travelers from 38 nations, allowing stays of up to 30 days.

It has also made a series of policies enabling foreigners to visit and live in China, triggering a China Travel search trend on major online platforms.

Relevant changes

Under the updated policy, eligible citizens from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region.

These travelers can now enter through any of the 60 ports across 24 provincial-level regions and stay within the designated areas for up to 240 hours.

Liu Jia, deputy director-general of the NIA’s Department of Foreigner Management, said: “Compared with the previous 72- and 144-hour visa-free transit policies, a notable feature of the policy adjustment is the introduction of cross-regional travel, allowing foreign visitors to move freely across the designated areas of 24 specified provincial-level regions.”

Liu added that the updated policy allows foreign travelers to better plan their itineraries and arrange flexible travel routes, enabling multi-destination tourism and business activities across various regions.