China has a Visa-Free Transit Policy, where eligible individuals traveling between countries may remain in China for a limited time without a visa. Those traveling in China under the Visa-Free Transit Policy are encouraged to engage in tourism, visit friends and family, conduct business, and explore China within the policy’s limitations.
In December 2024, the PRC’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) released an announcement relaxing the conditions of the Visa-Free Transit Policy. Following this announcement, the Visa-Free Transit Policy is as follows:
– Foreign nationals from 54 countries (including the United States) are eligible for visa-free travel to and in China.
– For visa-free foreign nationals traveling in China, the maximum duration of their stay has been extended from its previous 144-hour limit to a 10-day/240-hour limit.
– 60 exit-entry ports are eligible to receive foreign nationals under the visa-free policy.
– 5 regions have been added to the list of locations that can be visited by travelers under the visa-free policy, reaching a total of 24 provinces. However, certain travel constraints remain even for these provinces.
The Visa-Free Transit Policy is one of China’s approaches to increase tourism and engagement in the country. Given the sharp increase in the number of foreign nationals who entered China last year (over 110% compared to 2023), the NIA’s relaxation of the Visa-Free Transit Policy entering 2025 will likely serve to further promote travel to China in the future.
For information on eligible countries, ports, and travel locations, see- https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147413/c178053/content.html