Shanghai was one of the most visited cities in China by foreign tourists in 2024 (image courtesy Unsplash)
In news announced this week, China extends visa-free transit to ten days for 54 countries including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the United States and Australia.
Whatsmore, the new measure comes into effect immediately, according to the National Immigration Administration.
The new rules mean eligible travellers can now stay for up to ten days in certain areas of mainland China when transiting through one of the tens of international ports designated under the ruling.
The previous, more complex system, had two tiers that allowed eligible travellers to stay for three or six days depending on the port they were transiting through.
The new measure effectively creates a visa-free hack for travellers wishing to visit China and with an onward flight booking to a third country or territory.
China has also added 21 ports of entry and exit, bringing the total number of international ports included under the new measures to 60. Once arrived, travellers can stay in 24 provincial regions during the visa-free transit period, with five new regions including Hainan, Guizhou, Shanzi, Anhui and Jiangsu. Travellers taking advantage of the visa-free transit programme must stay within the surrounding area of the city they arrived in and do not have the freedom to travel throughout the country. Special areas such as Tibet will still require additonal visa permissions.
Travellers applying for the 240-hour visa-free transit must have a passport that is valid for more than three months from the arrival date, an onward ticket with confirmed departure date and seat number leaving for a third country or territory within 240 hours, and a completed landing card for foreigners in transit. Hong Kong and Macau both count as third destinations.
Visa-free transit is intended for tourism, business or visiting family members in China. For work or study purposes, travellers will need appropriate visas.
Eligible passport holders
To take advantage of visa-free transit in China, travellers must have a valid passport for one of the 54 countries listed.
Europe (Schengen area) - Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Europe (non-Schengen) - Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Americas - Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and the United States.
Oceania - Australia and New Zealand.
Asia - Brunei, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
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