China has rolled out a two-pronged package designed to make the mainland both easier – and cheaper – for foreigners to visit. According to a 11 December circular confirmed on 12 December by the National Immigration Administration (NIA), Beijing has locked in its unilateral 30-day visa-free scheme for 45 countries until at least 31 December 2026 and expanded the 240-hour (10-day) transit-without-visa programme to 65 entry points, adding busy hubs such as Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Zhongshan Port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Eligible travellers can now roam 24 provincial-level regions without a visa as long as they hold confirmed onward tickets.
The mobility carrot is sweetened by a fiscal incentive aimed squarely at high-spending tourists and business travellers. With immediate effect, the minimum single-purchase threshold for claiming value-added-tax refunds at departure has been slashed from RMB 500 to RMB 200 (≈ US $28), while the cash-refund ceiling at airport counters has doubled to RMB 20,000 (≈ US $2,770). Shanghai – which already has 1,700 participating shops – processed almost 100,000 refund claims from 179 nationalities in the first nine months of 2025, a 230 % jump year-on-year.
For travellers who prefer expert assistance with these new options, VisaHQ offers end-to-end support on Chinese entry requirements, from verifying eligibility for the 30-day visa-free stay to securing full visas or coordinating the 240-hour transit-without-visa route. Their team can also advise on paperwork needed for VAT refunds and other arrival formalities. Visit https://www.visahq.com/china/ for the latest guidance and fast application services.
![China Couples Wider Visa-Free Access with Higher Tax-Refund Limits to Attract Foreign Visitors]()
For multinational employers the reforms remove friction on two fronts. Short-term assignees, auditors and technicians can route through mainland hubs without breaching visa rules, and finance teams can allow smaller receipt values to qualify for VAT recovery. Event organisers eyeing China for conferences through to the 2026 Winter Asian Games in Harbin also gain predictability, as the visa-free window is guaranteed for another year. Travel managers, however, must still ensure staff file the online Arrival Card – a requirement that the NIA now lets visitors complete via web, WeChat, Alipay or the “NIA 12367” app.
Analysts read the move as part of Beijing’s broader campaign to narrow the 35 % gap that still separates 2025 foreign arrivals from pre-pandemic 2019 levels. By pairing border facilitation with immediate cash savings, authorities hope to pivot China’s reputation from “open but complicated” to “open and rewarding.” Airlines and duty-free operators have already reacted: China Eastern says it will extend its free-stopover hotel programme to include the new 240-hour ports, while China Duty Free Group plans to install electronic VAT-refund kiosks at five additional airports by March 2026.
Practical tips: corporate travel systems should be updated to flag the 65 authorised transit ports; employees must carry printed or digital proof of onward travel; and VAT receipts must be stamped by authorised merchants then submitted within 90 days. Failure to do so could forfeit the refund despite the lower threshold.
The mobility carrot is sweetened by a fiscal incentive aimed squarely at high-spending tourists and business travellers. With immediate effect, the minimum single-purchase threshold for claiming value-added-tax refunds at departure has been slashed from RMB 500 to RMB 200 (≈ US $28), while the cash-refund ceiling at airport counters has doubled to RMB 20,000 (≈ US $2,770). Shanghai – which already has 1,700 participating shops – processed almost 100,000 refund claims from 179 nationalities in the first nine months of 2025, a 230 % jump year-on-year.
For travellers who prefer expert assistance with these new options, VisaHQ offers end-to-end support on Chinese entry requirements, from verifying eligibility for the 30-day visa-free stay to securing full visas or coordinating the 240-hour transit-without-visa route. Their team can also advise on paperwork needed for VAT refunds and other arrival formalities. Visit https://www.visahq.com/china/ for the latest guidance and fast application services.
For multinational employers the reforms remove friction on two fronts. Short-term assignees, auditors and technicians can route through mainland hubs without breaching visa rules, and finance teams can allow smaller receipt values to qualify for VAT recovery. Event organisers eyeing China for conferences through to the 2026 Winter Asian Games in Harbin also gain predictability, as the visa-free window is guaranteed for another year. Travel managers, however, must still ensure staff file the online Arrival Card – a requirement that the NIA now lets visitors complete via web, WeChat, Alipay or the “NIA 12367” app.
Analysts read the move as part of Beijing’s broader campaign to narrow the 35 % gap that still separates 2025 foreign arrivals from pre-pandemic 2019 levels. By pairing border facilitation with immediate cash savings, authorities hope to pivot China’s reputation from “open but complicated” to “open and rewarding.” Airlines and duty-free operators have already reacted: China Eastern says it will extend its free-stopover hotel programme to include the new 240-hour ports, while China Duty Free Group plans to install electronic VAT-refund kiosks at five additional airports by March 2026.
Practical tips: corporate travel systems should be updated to flag the 65 authorised transit ports; employees must carry printed or digital proof of onward travel; and VAT receipts must be stamped by authorised merchants then submitted within 90 days. Failure to do so could forfeit the refund despite the lower threshold.
