With 4,100 overseas exhibitors descending on Shanghai for the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), Pudong International Airport has switched on 12 permanent immigration lanes branded “Special Channel – CIIE”. The lanes, launched 6 November, are staffed 24/7 and accept holders of CIIE participation certificates alongside regular passports, shaving wait-times to under five minutes during the morning peak.
Pudong has also installed multilingual signage, fingerprint self-collection kiosks and seven-language arrival-card stations in both terminals. According to the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection, the airport has already handled 4.16 million foreign arrivals in 2025—more than double last year—driven largely by expanded visa-free access and the 240-hour transit scheme. Visa-free entries have surged 214 percent year-on-year; 61,000 passengers have used the 240-hour rule so far.
![Pudong Airport Opens 12 Dedicated CIIE Immigration Lanes as Visitor Numbers Soar]()
For exhibitors trucking in prototypes and samples, the dedicated lanes mean predictable arrival schedules and fewer missed set-up windows. Corporate mobility teams should instruct staff to carry printed or electronic CIIE badges to qualify for the express line. The airport recommends arriving crews complete fingerprint registration immediately after disembarkation to avoid bottlenecks.
Shanghai’s move illustrates how Chinese ports are segmenting flow by traveller profile—similar “expo channels” debuted for the Canton Fair in Guangzhou earlier this year. If proven effective, observers expect the model to be copied for future mega-events such as the 2027 World University Games in Beijing.
Pudong has also installed multilingual signage, fingerprint self-collection kiosks and seven-language arrival-card stations in both terminals. According to the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection, the airport has already handled 4.16 million foreign arrivals in 2025—more than double last year—driven largely by expanded visa-free access and the 240-hour transit scheme. Visa-free entries have surged 214 percent year-on-year; 61,000 passengers have used the 240-hour rule so far.
For exhibitors trucking in prototypes and samples, the dedicated lanes mean predictable arrival schedules and fewer missed set-up windows. Corporate mobility teams should instruct staff to carry printed or electronic CIIE badges to qualify for the express line. The airport recommends arriving crews complete fingerprint registration immediately after disembarkation to avoid bottlenecks.
Shanghai’s move illustrates how Chinese ports are segmenting flow by traveller profile—similar “expo channels” debuted for the Canton Fair in Guangzhou earlier this year. If proven effective, observers expect the model to be copied for future mega-events such as the 2027 World University Games in Beijing.
