China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced an expanded visa-free transit policy, allowing eligible foreign travelers to stay for up to 240 hours (10 days). The updated policy, effective immediately, increases the duration from the previous 72 and 144 hours, providing greater flexibility for short-term visitors.
Travelers from 54 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, and Russia, can now enter visa-free when transiting to a third destination. The changes include the addition of 21 new entry ports, raising the total to 60 ports across 24 provinces.
Newly included airports under the policy are Taiyuan Wusu International Airport in Shanxi, Wenzhou Longwan International Airport in Zhejiang, and Haikou Meilan International Airport in Hainan, among others.
The policy has also expanded the permitted travel areas. Visitors can now access 24 provinces—up from the original 19. Newly added regions include Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou. Some provinces, like Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou, allow visitors to travel across the entire region, while others, such as Shanxi and Jiangxi, have designated cities included in the policy.
An official from the NIA described the move as part of China’s efforts to facilitate international travel, strengthen exchanges, and support economic development.
