China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has issued its most bullish holiday forecast since borders fully reopened, predicting that mainland ports will process more than 2.1 million inbound and outbound passenger movements every day between Thursday, 1 January and Saturday, 3 January 2026. That figure is 22.4 percent higher than the same three-day period a year ago and roughly 85 percent of pre-pandemic volumes.
Airports are preparing for unprecedented traffic. Shanghai Pudong International Airport alone expects to clear close to 100,000 international passengers daily, followed by Guangzhou Baiyun (≈53,000) and Beijing Capital (≈40,000). The NIA has ordered extra e-gates to be activated and deployed surge staffing to keep average clearance times under 30 minutes. Airlines have been encouraged to stagger departures and arrivals to avoid late-night bottlenecks.
Land borders are poised to be even busier. The Gongbei checkpoint in Zhuhai, which links Macau and the mainland, is projected to exceed 400,000 daily crossings, while Shenzhen’s Luohu and Futian land ports may each top 200,000. In response, Guangdong has extended metro services past midnight and added 24-hour shuttle buses between major checkpoints and transport hubs.
![China Expects Record 22 % Jump in Cross-Border Movements During New Year’s Holiday]()
Behind the rush is a confluence of relaxed entry rules and pent-up demand. China recently expanded its 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit program to 65 ports nationwide and prolonged visa-exemption schemes for 40-plus countries until end-2026. Travel agencies report that mixed business-leisure trips now make up nearly half of bookings, reflecting renewed confidence among foreign investors eager to restart site visits, due-diligence missions, and supply-chain audits after nearly three years of virtual engagement.
Travelers who want extra peace of mind when navigating China’s evolving entry rules can lean on VisaHQ’s dedicated China service center. Its online portal—https://www.visahq.com/china/—walks users through eligibility for visa-free transit, secures consulate appointments, and double-checks documentation for everything from short business trips to multi-year work permits, helping visitors avoid bureaucratic surprises during the holiday rush.
For mobility managers, the NIA’s forecast is both a green light and a caution flag. Firms are urged to brief assignees on likely congestion, recommend off-peak travel windows, and verify that automated-channel passports are properly enrolled. Companies shipping samples or equipment should factor in longer customs-inspection queues at high-volume ports. Crucially, HR teams should remind travelers that China’s new online arrival-card system is mandatory for most foreign nationals from 20 November 2025 onward; completing the form in advance can shave precious minutes off clearance times.
Airports are preparing for unprecedented traffic. Shanghai Pudong International Airport alone expects to clear close to 100,000 international passengers daily, followed by Guangzhou Baiyun (≈53,000) and Beijing Capital (≈40,000). The NIA has ordered extra e-gates to be activated and deployed surge staffing to keep average clearance times under 30 minutes. Airlines have been encouraged to stagger departures and arrivals to avoid late-night bottlenecks.
Land borders are poised to be even busier. The Gongbei checkpoint in Zhuhai, which links Macau and the mainland, is projected to exceed 400,000 daily crossings, while Shenzhen’s Luohu and Futian land ports may each top 200,000. In response, Guangdong has extended metro services past midnight and added 24-hour shuttle buses between major checkpoints and transport hubs.
Behind the rush is a confluence of relaxed entry rules and pent-up demand. China recently expanded its 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit program to 65 ports nationwide and prolonged visa-exemption schemes for 40-plus countries until end-2026. Travel agencies report that mixed business-leisure trips now make up nearly half of bookings, reflecting renewed confidence among foreign investors eager to restart site visits, due-diligence missions, and supply-chain audits after nearly three years of virtual engagement.
Travelers who want extra peace of mind when navigating China’s evolving entry rules can lean on VisaHQ’s dedicated China service center. Its online portal—https://www.visahq.com/china/—walks users through eligibility for visa-free transit, secures consulate appointments, and double-checks documentation for everything from short business trips to multi-year work permits, helping visitors avoid bureaucratic surprises during the holiday rush.
For mobility managers, the NIA’s forecast is both a green light and a caution flag. Firms are urged to brief assignees on likely congestion, recommend off-peak travel windows, and verify that automated-channel passports are properly enrolled. Companies shipping samples or equipment should factor in longer customs-inspection queues at high-volume ports. Crucially, HR teams should remind travelers that China’s new online arrival-card system is mandatory for most foreign nationals from 20 November 2025 onward; completing the form in advance can shave precious minutes off clearance times.
