Beijing (TDI): China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) said on Tuesday that the permitted stay for foreign citizens entering the country under the visa-free transit policy for purposes such as tourism, business, visits, and family reunions has been extended from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours or ten days, as part of the latest measures to further relax and optimize the visa-free transit policy.
The news policy is applicable immediately.
At the same time, the NIA announced that the number of ports eligible for the visa-free transit policy will be enhanced from the original 39 to 60, including Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Port in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province and Sanya Phoenix International Airport Port in South China’s Hainan Province.
Also, as part of the latest policy unveiled on Tuesday, the permitted activity areas for visa-free foreign citizens will be expanded to twenty-four provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities including Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, Shanxi, and Guizhou provinces from the original 19.
Also Read: China Expands Visa-Free Access to 25 Countries
During their staying in China, foreign nationals who travel in transit without a visa can engage in activities such as business, visits, tourism, and family visits.
However, those who want to study, work, or conduct news interviews and other activities that require prior approval still require to obtain a visa before coming to China, the NIA added.
So far, there are 54 nations that are eligible for the 240-hour transit visa exemption policy.
Also Read: China Approves Multi-Entry Visas for Mekong Nations
The latest data released by the NIA shows that from January to November 2024, there were 29.218 million foreign entries into the country through different ports, an 86.2% year-on-year increase.
Of these, 17.446 million entries were made visa-free, a year-on-year growth of 123.3%.
