HONG KONG: China announced on Tuesday ( Dec 17 ) a relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travellers to 240 hours, or 10 days, from the original 72 to 144 hours, as authorities aim to lure more foreign visitors.
The measure, which is effective immediately, was announced by the National Immigration Administration ( NIA ) on its official WeChat account.
People from 54 countries including Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada,” who transit from China to a third country ( region ), can enter China without a visa from any of the 60 open ports in 24 provinces and stay in the specified area for no more than 240 hours”, it said.
China, since reopening its edges in 2023 after three decades of self-imposed isolation according to COVID-19, has waived visa requirements for visitors to promote visit to the world’s second-largest business.
In November China’s Foreign Ministry said China had extended its visa-free coverage to a total of 38 places.
People from these countries including Spain, Singapore and the Netherlands, do not need a visa to enter China and you keep for up to 30 days for company, hospitality, family visit, change and transit purposes.
Europeans made 8.2 million outbound trips to China, up 48.8 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024. More than half of these were facilitated by the visa-free scheme, up 78.6 per share year-on-year, the NIA said in October.