In a significant expansion of cross-Strait mobility, the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office confirmed on 19 November that Taiwan residents can now obtain single-entry Mainland Travel Permits at 100 ports of entry—up from 58. The newly authorised locations span 56 airports, 27 seaports and 17 land-rail crossings, including Tianjin Port, Khorgos highway checkpoint in Xinjiang and emerging cruise terminals in Guangdong’s Pazhou and Zhongshan. Processing time will be capped at 30 minutes and the RMB $80 permit fee has been waived.
Officials stressed that the mainland will keep personal data strictly confidential and that no exit or entry stamps will be placed on Taiwan passports—an issue that previously deterred some business travellers worried about immigration scrutiny in third countries. The measure dovetails with the National Immigration Administration’s broader digitisation push, which from 20 November lets most foreign travellers file arrival cards online.
![Mainland boosts on-arrival permit ports for Taiwan residents from 58 to 100]()
For Taiwanese executives, the expansion slashes logistical friction. Many had to route through the handful of airports authorised since 2019—often adding domestic legs or long rail journeys to reach inland manufacturing hubs. Now, semiconductor engineers heading to Chengdu, supply-chain managers bound for Zhengzhou or consultants visiting Lijiang can land directly and secure a permit on arrival.
The change is also expected to stimulate tourism and family visits ahead of the Lunar New Year peak. Airlines on both sides of the Strait have already announced charter flights to second-tier mainland cities, banking on latent demand after years of pandemic-era reductions.
Businesses should revisit their China-entry playbooks: pre-trip documentation requirements have effectively been reduced to a Taiwan ID card, a passport-style photo and a completed health declaration. Mobility teams may wish to alert travellers that over-stay penalties remain strict and that work assignments still require separate work permits.
Officials stressed that the mainland will keep personal data strictly confidential and that no exit or entry stamps will be placed on Taiwan passports—an issue that previously deterred some business travellers worried about immigration scrutiny in third countries. The measure dovetails with the National Immigration Administration’s broader digitisation push, which from 20 November lets most foreign travellers file arrival cards online.
For Taiwanese executives, the expansion slashes logistical friction. Many had to route through the handful of airports authorised since 2019—often adding domestic legs or long rail journeys to reach inland manufacturing hubs. Now, semiconductor engineers heading to Chengdu, supply-chain managers bound for Zhengzhou or consultants visiting Lijiang can land directly and secure a permit on arrival.
The change is also expected to stimulate tourism and family visits ahead of the Lunar New Year peak. Airlines on both sides of the Strait have already announced charter flights to second-tier mainland cities, banking on latent demand after years of pandemic-era reductions.
Businesses should revisit their China-entry playbooks: pre-trip documentation requirements have effectively been reduced to a Taiwan ID card, a passport-style photo and a completed health declaration. Mobility teams may wish to alert travellers that over-stay penalties remain strict and that work assignments still require separate work permits.
