China’s year-old decision to merge its 72-hour and 144-hour transit waivers into a single 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy is paying off handsomely. According to statistics released by the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on 21 December, the mainland processed 40.6 million foreign-passport entries in the past 12 months, a 27.2 percent increase on 2024. More than half of that growth is attributed directly to wider use of the longer transit waiver, which now covers travellers from 55 countries and 65 ports of entry, from Beijing and Shanghai to newly added secondary airports such as Taiyuan, Hefei and Wenzhou.
For multinational corporations the scheme is more than a tourism story. Regional managers can now schedule week-long China itineraries at short notice—visiting factories, supplier sites and clients in several provinces—without having to secure an M-class business visa. Logistics providers say the quicker clearance has shortened cargo-owner inspections at ports, while trade-fair organisers report stronger foreign attendance at events such as the Canton Fair and the China International Import Expo.
![10-Day Visa-Free Transit Drives 27 % Jump in Foreign Arrivals, NIA Data Show]()
Travel planners unsure whether their itineraries qualify can lean on VisaHQ, an online visa and passport facilitator that continually tracks Chinese entry requirements and port eligibility; its dedicated China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers real-time updates, live chat with visa specialists and downloadable checklists that help corporate travellers and tourists alike navigate the 240-hour transit exemption and other permit options.
The waiver’s success is also geographically broadening China’s inbound economy. Shanghai welcomed 5.35 million visitors under the programme, but Guangzhou and Beijing each noted that a majority of inbound foreigners now choose the visa-free channel. Smaller airports are benefitting too: Taiyuan saw a 42 percent increase in foreign arrivals after being added to the port list in October.
Compliance, however, remains essential. Travellers must hold confirmed onward tickets and stay within the designated regions. Overstays incur fines of RMB 500 per day, and corporate travel teams are advising staff to preregister via the NIA’s “Smart Border” mini-programme to obtain a QR code that speeds passage through automated gates. Officials hint that, if uptake continues, the transit window could be extended to 15 days and linked to digital travel credentials now being piloted at select airports.
For multinational corporations the scheme is more than a tourism story. Regional managers can now schedule week-long China itineraries at short notice—visiting factories, supplier sites and clients in several provinces—without having to secure an M-class business visa. Logistics providers say the quicker clearance has shortened cargo-owner inspections at ports, while trade-fair organisers report stronger foreign attendance at events such as the Canton Fair and the China International Import Expo.
Travel planners unsure whether their itineraries qualify can lean on VisaHQ, an online visa and passport facilitator that continually tracks Chinese entry requirements and port eligibility; its dedicated China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers real-time updates, live chat with visa specialists and downloadable checklists that help corporate travellers and tourists alike navigate the 240-hour transit exemption and other permit options.
The waiver’s success is also geographically broadening China’s inbound economy. Shanghai welcomed 5.35 million visitors under the programme, but Guangzhou and Beijing each noted that a majority of inbound foreigners now choose the visa-free channel. Smaller airports are benefitting too: Taiyuan saw a 42 percent increase in foreign arrivals after being added to the port list in October.
Compliance, however, remains essential. Travellers must hold confirmed onward tickets and stay within the designated regions. Overstays incur fines of RMB 500 per day, and corporate travel teams are advising staff to preregister via the NIA’s “Smart Border” mini-programme to obtain a QR code that speeds passage through automated gates. Officials hint that, if uptake continues, the transit window could be extended to 15 days and linked to digital travel credentials now being piloted at select airports.
