China has announced a major relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, allowing eligible foreign travelers to stay for up to 10 days without a visa. The new policy extends the permitted stay from the previous 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours, providing more flexibility for those transiting through the country.
The National Immigration Administration revealed on Tuesday that 21 more ports of entry will be added to the list of entry and exit points for travelers with transit visa exemptions. Under this updated policy, visitors from 54 countries—including Russia, Brazil, the UK, the U.S., and Canada—can enter China visa-free through any of the 60 open ports across 24 provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities.
The most notable change is that travelers can now move across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities within the permitted areas during their 240-hour stay. This offers a significant boost to tourism and business travel, making it easier for foreigners to explore more of China while in transit to a third country or region.
From January to November, China saw a remarkable increase in foreign arrivals. The total number of foreign entries at ports nationwide reached 29.2 million, marking a year-on-year rise of 86.2 percent. Of these, 17.4 million entries were under the visa exemption policy, a surge of 123.3 percent compared to the previous year.
The extended visa-free period and additional entry points are expected to further stimulate international travel and strengthen China’s connections with the global community.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
