China Expands Unilateral Visa-Free Policy to 30-Day Stays

China has moved faster and farther than expected to open its doors to short-term foreign visitors, rolling out what officials describe as the country’s most comprehensive loosening of entry rules in modern times. The most striking step came on December 17, 2024, when the National Immigration Administration expanded visa-free transit to allow eligible travelers to stay in China for up to 240 hours. That ten-day window—previously capped at 72 or 144 hours—has already reshaped travel plans for tourists, business visitors, and families who want more time in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu without applying for a standard visa.

Authorities say the policy is part of a broader drive to revive travel flows, spur spending, and rebuild people-to-people ties after years of pandemic-related disruption.

How the 240-hour visa-free transit works

Under the expanded visa-free transit program:

• Visitors from a growing list of countries can enter China through designated ports and remain in approved regions for up to 240 hours, provided they can show a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region within that timeframe.
• The National Immigration Administration (NIA) listed broad eligibility rules:
  • Travelers must hold valid international travel documents.
  • Travelers must have confirmed interline tickets showing a specific departure date and seat number that falls within the permitted stay.
  • Officers may check that the traveler’s route clearly shows a genuine transit—i.e., the destination after China is different from the point of origin.
• The program is designed for short stays that support tourism, business meetings, and family visits, not for long-term residence or employment.

Important: The program requires a credible onward journey to a third country or region within 240 hours. Airlines will check compliance at boarding and can be penalized for carrying improperly documented passengers.

Scope and eligible countries (mid-2025 snapshot)

• The 240-hour visa-free transit applied to travelers from 55 countries, including major markets such as the United States 🇺🇸, Canada 🇨🇦, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Russia.
• Indonesia was added on June 12, 2025.
• The program is supported at 60 ports of entry across 24 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.
• In December 2024, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou were added, broadening geographic options.

Benefits for travelers:
– More entry/exit hubs and greater flexibility to plan multi-city itineraries, provided regional scope rules are followed.

Other related entry pathways

• 30-day unilateral visa-free entry: Separately, China allows 30-day visits for citizens of 47 countries through a unilateral entry program that runs through December 31, 2025.
  • Coverage includes 32 European countries (e.g., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands), several Nordic states, eight Asian countries (e.g., South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Brunei), Australia and New Zealand, and several South American countries (e.g., Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay).
  • Extended windows:
  • Program extends until May 31, 2026 for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay.
  • Extends until June 8, 2026 for Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
• 24-hour Transit Without Visa (TWOV): Updated in January 2024 to streamline same-day airside connections at nine major hub airports:
  • Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Hangzhou Xiaoshan, Xiamen Gaoqi, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao’an, Chengdu Tianfu, Xi’an Xianyang.
  • TWOV allows airside transfers without passing through immigration but does not permit leaving the airport.

Operational and eligibility details

• The 240-hour window is counted from the entry stamp by immigration: up to ten days from that exact arrival time.
  • Example: Arrive at noon on Monday → depart by the same time on the tenth day.
• Common documentation to carry:
  • Printed or digital onward tickets, hotel bookings, and a loose itinerary.
  • Airlines often require onward-ticket verification before boarding.
• Permitted purposes under the 240-hour program:
  • Tourism, business activities, exchange visits, and family visits.
• Not permitted under visa-free routes (require proper visas):
  • Paid employment, formal study programs, or news reporting.
• Entry may be denied for travelers with prior visa violations or legal issues within the past five years.

Administrative context and official framing

• NIA head Wang Zhizhong said in July 2025 that China has established visa-free arrangements with 75 countries through a mix of unilateral waivers and mutual exemption agreements.
• During 2021–2025 (the 14th Five-Year Plan period), border inspection agencies processed 1.556 billion entries and exits, and handled more than 98 million cross-border transport vehicles.
• Officials describe China as being “among the countries with the most efficient port clearance systems in the world.”

Early economic and travel impacts (first half of 2025)

• Shanghai: 2.6 million international visits (up 44.8% year-on-year).
  • 1.4 million entries under visa-free policies—more than triple 2024’s figure.
  • Shanghai Pudong: 2.37 million overseas entries (China’s top airport for overseas traffic).
• Beijing: Over 840,000 visa-free arrivals (double prior year), total international entries 1.49 million.
• Chengdu: 287,000 visa-free entries (+120% from 2024).
• Hainan Province: 663,000 foreign entries and exits, with 89% using visa-free schemes.

These figures suggest the visa-free framework is boosting inbound travel and related spending on hotels, dining, and attractions.

Practical guidance for travelers

Before booking, verify three core elements:
1. Eligibility by nationality — check the current list.
2. Port participation — ensure the chosen port supports 240-hour visa-free transit.
3. Onward flight timing — confirm an onward flight to a third country or region within 240 hours.

Additional traveler tips:
– Book onward flights at least a day before the cutoff for peace of mind.
– Carry printed or easily accessible digital copies of tickets, hotel confirmations, and local contacts.
– If you have prior overstays, visa violations, or legal issues within five years, seek advice before traveling.
– Journalists, students in formal programs, and those intending to work should obtain the correct visa.

Examples of use cases

• Business: A U.S. executive en route from New York to Singapore can schedule meetings in Shanghai if the Singapore ticket is confirmed within ten days.
• Tourism: A family flying London → Sydney could spend a week in Beijing and Xi’an under the 240-hour transit, then continue to Australia.
• Long itineraries: A German tourist can use the 30-day unilateral entry to tour multiple provinces without consular visits.

Important operational notes:
– Routes must demonstrate a credible, continuous journey (open-jaw or multi-city tickets often work well).
– Using visa-free transit to return to the same origin country without the proper visa will not qualify.

Airport, local authority, and airline coordination

• Expansion to 60 ports across 24 provinces gives more entry/exit choices but requires careful route planning.
• Travelers entering through a specific port (e.g., Beijing Daxing) must obey the regional rules attached to that port.
• TWOV works for same-day airside transfers but not for leaving the airport; leaving requires visa-free transit or the appropriate visa.
• Airlines typically publish guidance per route; recheck rules if your itinerary changes.

Policy intent and outlook

• The government’s aim is to:
  • Speed economic recovery,
  • Promote people-to-people exchanges,
  • Attract global talent,
  • Deepen ties with partner nations.
• Wang Zhizhong has framed the visa-free expansion as both practical (reducing cost/time) and symbolic (a welcome after tight controls).
• If trends continue, the policy could encourage airlines to add capacity, investors to schedule visits, and families to plan postponed trips.

Summary checklist and key warnings

• Visa-free transit requires:
  • A clearly documented onward journey to a third country or region within 240 hours.
  • Intended activities limited to tourism, business, exchange, and family visits.
  • No recent violations or legal issues within five years (these can bar entry).
• The 30-day unilateral entry serves different needs and is limited to citizens of the countries on the published list.
• The 24-hour TWOV remains a separate option for same-day airside connections only.

For official updates and port participation details, consult the English portal of the National Immigration Administration: https://en.nia.gov.cn/

With these basics in hand—and with the NIA continuing to refine procedures—the expanded visa-free map offers more ways to visit, meet, and explore than at any point in recent history.