China’s expanded visa waiver policies are driving a sharp rebound in foreign travel to the country in 2025, with officials reporting that international arrivals have jumped by more than 35% as easier entry rules redraw tourism and business routes across Asia. The shift is turning China back into a key stop for global travelers who had stayed away during the pandemic years, and is already reshaping flight schedules, hotel bookings and corporate travel budgets.
How the waiver network has widened
China has moved quickly to widen its network of visa exemptions after the pandemic, combining bilateral deals with unilateral steps that make short trips simpler for tourists, executives and family visitors.
- Officials say China now has mutual visa exemption arrangements with 29 countries.
- China grants unilateral visa-free entry to nationals of 48 countries, a scale that was far smaller only a few years ago.
At the same time, authorities have broadened the 240-hour visa-free transit policy. That program:
- Allows eligible passengers from 55 countries to stay in selected Chinese cities for up to 10 days without a traditional visa, provided they hold confirmed onward tickets to a third country or region.
- Now covers 65 entry ports across 24 provinces and municipalities, including major gateways such as Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong, as well as several inland hubs.
- Is promoted by China’s National Immigration Administration as a way to “turn airports into bridges” for regional and long‑haul travel. Full policy details are published on the agency’s official website.
Longer planning horizons for travel and business
Beijing has also extended and renewed several visa-free programs to give travelers and companies more certainty:
- The visa-free entry policy for 46 countries has been extended until December 31, 2026, helping airlines and tour operators plan routes and packages.
- A separate unilateral visa-free entry policy for 43 countries has been renewed, with changes to permitted stay length and visit purposes to facilitate short business trips, tourism, and family visits.
Measurable impact on travel volumes
The policy changes have produced swift, visible increases in traffic. Key official figures include:
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Beijing’s inbound and outbound travelers (as of Nov 23, 2025) | 19.35 million |
| Year-on-year increase for Beijing’s ports | 18% |
| Foreign nationals among those crossings | 5.78 million (up 35%) |
| Share entering under visa exemption / temporary entry permits | ~60% |
This means well over half of foreign visitors at the capital’s airports and land borders are now arriving without a standard visa — a notable change from the consulate-heavy pre-pandemic period.
Notable city-level effects
- Xiamen (Fujian province): More than 5.4 million inbound/outbound passengers by Nov 23, including 960,000+ foreign nationals — a record for the period. The city is promoting “fly-and-cruise” and short leisure products combining beach, shopping and food tourism.
- Datong (Shanxi province): Passed 50,000 inbound/outbound passengers in a year for the first time, helped by new direct flights to Moscow and Seoul that rely on relaxed entry rules.
Business travel and corporate planning
The new flexibility is reshaping corporate travel practices:
- Multinationals in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing say the ability to send staff on short notice without visa appointments is speeding deal‑making and technical support visits.
- Corporate travel managers report that last‑minute “firefighting” trips — previously blocked by consular delays — are now feasible again.
- HR teams note visa-free access has revived stalled expatriate assignments because spouses and parents can visit more easily to test life in China before longer relocations.
Hotel and tourism market response
The hotel sector is already feeling the effect:
- Properties in major business centers such as Shanghai and Shenzhen report weekday occupancy rates above 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests these gains come from both corporate bookings and short leisure stays tacked onto regional business trips (two- to three-day city explorations under visa-free rules).
Russia: a rapid rebound
One of the sharpest rises has come from Russia after visa-free entry for Russian nationals began in September 2025:
- Russian arrivals jumped 40% within two months.
- Officials expect Russian visitors to exceed two million by year-end.
- Airlines report bookings have doubled year-on-year on routes between Russian cities and Chinese destinations.
- Tour operators report 60%+ growth in demand for organized group tours; popular activities include shopping, wellness treatments and winter sports.
- Hotels in border and coastal regions say weekend demand is “stretching capacity.”
Frontline perspective
At Xiamen’s Gaoqi frontier inspection station, Shen Wenjuan, head of the frontier inspection department, describes new products built around the policy mix as a key driver of growth.
“Visa‑free + cruise offers are bringing first‑time visitors who would not have considered China before,” she said, noting that travelers often combine short cruise stops with longer land stays enabled by visa waivers and extended entry timetables.
Diplomatic and regional strategy
Chinese officials present the expansion of waivers as part of a broader diplomatic agenda:
- When Indonesia was added to the 240-hour visa-free transit policy in June 2025, the National Immigration Administration linked the move to the central conference on work with neighboring countries.
- The agency framed the policy as a means to deepen cooperation with ASEAN and to strengthen China’s role in regional trade and tourism flows.
- Easier short stays for Indonesian passengers are expected to support joint projects such as factory visits, port development and academic exchanges.
Competition, airlines and airport capacity
Policy advisers note the waiver expansion is also a response to competition from other Asian hubs (e.g., Singapore, Bangkok) that long promoted simple transit and short‑stay options.
- Airlines from Europe, the Middle East and Asia are adding capacity to major Chinese cities, betting on demand driven by visa-free transit options.
- Secondary airports face pressure: pent-up demand could exceed processing capacity where immigration counters and automatic gates haven’t been expanded.
- Some corporate travel planners now advise staff to choose early‑morning flights into secondary cities to avoid longer queues for immigration and security.
Practical warnings for travelers and agents
While relaxed rules are welcome, they require careful communication:
- Eligibility depends on nationality, entry point, and sometimes airline routing. Conditions vary across policies.
- Passengers must verify that their itinerary meets exact conditions before boarding.
- Airlines may deny boarding to travelers who cannot clearly show onward tickets or who fall outside listed countries.
Important: Security checks and document screening remain in place at ports, even as more people pass through without traditional visas.
Outlook and policy requests
For now, the trend is clear: more foreign travelers are entering China under simplified rules, and authorities appear comfortable with the shift.
- Business groups and tourism operators are urging Beijing to extend policies beyond 2026 and add more countries to waiver lists.
- Analysts say that if momentum continues through 2026 and more countries are added, China could regain its pre‑pandemic share of Asia‑Pacific business travel within about a year.
How far China goes in opening its doors further will shape not only tourism earnings but also its broader role in Asia’s interconnected network of trade, transport and people‑to‑people ties.
China’s widened visa-exemption network and expanded 240-hour visa-free transit policy drove a significant rebound in 2025 travel. International arrivals increased over 35%, aided by mutual exemptions with 29 countries and unilateral visa-free entry for 48. The transit program now covers 65 entry ports across 24 provinces, enabling short stays of up to 10 days. Cities such as Xiamen and Datong recorded notable passenger growth. Airlines, hotels and businesses are adapting, while travelers must verify eligibility and onward-ticket requirements.
