The National Immigration Administration of China announced that starting December 17, the transit visa exemption policy will be relaxed: the stay duration for foreign visitors will be uniformly extended to 240 hours, with 21 additional ports of entry for visa-free entry and expanded travel regions. Foreign travelers can stay in designated areas within 240 hours. Citizens from 54 countries can enter visa-free at any of the 60 open ports of entry while en route to a third country.
1. 21 New Airports Added to the Transit Visa Exemption Ports
After the policy relaxation, 21 international airports have been added to the list of visa-free entry ports, bringing the total number of open ports from 39 to 60. These include:
• Zhejiang Wenzhou Longwan, Shanxi Taiyuan Wusu International Airport, Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport, Jiangsu Wuxi Sunan Shuofang, Jinhua Yiwu International Airport, Anhui Hefei Xinqiao, Huangshan Tunxi International Airport, Fujian Fuzhou Changle, Quanzhou Jinjiang, Nanping Wuyishan International Airport, Jiangxi Nanchang International Airport, Shandong Jinan Yaoqiao, Yantai Penglai, Weihai Dashuibo International Airport, Guangxi Nanning Wuxu, Guizhou Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, Hunan Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, Beihai Fucheng International Airport, Hainan Haikou Meilan, Sanya Phoenix International Airport, and Sichuan Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.
2. Relaxation of the Transit Visa Exemption Policy: 24 Provinces (Regions/Cities) Allow Foreign Travelers to Travel Between Provinces
① Policy Background and Changes:
• The original 240-hour transit visa exemption policy applied to 19 provinces, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Shaanxi. Now, the policy has been further relaxed, adding Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou, bringing the total number of provinces covered by the policy to 24.
② Newly Added Provinces and Areas of Stay:
• In Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou, travelers can stay and move around the entire province.
• In Shanxi, the stay is limited to Taiyuan and Datong.
• In Jiangxi, the stay is limited to Nanchang and Jingdezhen.
③ Expansion of Activity Areas in Some Existing Provinces:
• The stay areas in Fujian, Hubei, and Shaanxi have been expanded from specific regions to the entire province.
• In Guangxi, the activity areas have expanded to include 12 cities: Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin.
• After the implementation of the relaxed transit visa exemption policy, foreign travelers can tour between provinces within the designated activity regions in these 24 provinces (regions/cities).
3. Foreigners Who Meet the Following Conditions Can Apply for the 240-Hour Transit Visa Exemption
Citizens from one of the 54 countries covered by the transit visa exemption policy can apply. These countries are divided into four continents:
• Europe:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway.
• Americas:
United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
• Oceania:
Australia, New Zealand.
• Asia:
South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.
Additionally, applicants must hold a valid international travel document with at least three months of validity and meet the entry requirements for the third country or region.
Furthermore, the applicant must have a confirmed connecting flight ticket or relevant documentation with a departure time within 240 hours from the time of entry into China. They must also complete a temporary entry card for foreigners and undergo checks and questioning by border control authorities.
Finally, foreigners who meet all the above conditions can apply for the visa exemption at the border inspection authorities at any of the 60 ports of entry, including Beijing and Shanghai. The border inspection authorities will process their temporary entry procedures. The visa-free stay will begin from midnight on the day after entry. If any foreigner is eligible for a visa exemption based on mutual agreements or unilateral visa policies, they can follow the procedures outlined in those agreements.
Between January and November 2024, China’s ports welcomed 29.22 million foreign visitors, an increase of 86.2% compared to the same period last year. Among them, 17.44 million people entered visa-free, achieving a year-on-year growth of 123.3%.
The relaxation of the transit visa exemption policy is expected to attract more foreign tourists to China, boost the tourism industry and related sectors, inject new vitality into the economy, and provide great convenience for business visitors. The policy will reduce the inconvenience for international travelers during their transfer and improve travel efficiency. For travelers needing to visit China in the near future, it is important to keep an eye on updates from the National Immigration Administration to avoid missing the latest policies.
