China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) expects inbound and outbound passenger flows to surge to an average 2.05 million movements per day during the nine-day Spring Festival holiday that begins on Sunday, 15 February 2026. The projection—14.1 percent higher than last year—reflects the combined impact of China’s expanded visa-free entry scheme for 45 countries and a rebound in overseas tourism demand.
Major airports such as Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Baiyun have already opened additional immigration counters and biometric e-gates to cope with the peak. Land crossings at Shenzhen, Zhuhai–Macao and Heilongjiang’s border with Russia are also bracing for record volumes, with staffing rosters raised by up to 30 percent.
The administration said it will deploy roving “blue-vest” officers to assist foreign travellers with new online arrival-card procedures and QR-code health declarations, aiming to keep average clearance time under 30 minutes even at the busiest ports. Business-travel advisers recommend that multinational companies schedule staff arrivals during off-peak hours (late morning or mid-afternoon) where possible, and build extra layover time into itineraries between 16 and 23 February.
![Spring Festival travel boom: China expects 2.05 million daily cross-border trips]()
Travel managers and individual passengers seeking certainty amid these fast-moving entry rules can also turn to VisaHQ. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) collates the latest visa-free eligibility lists, provides step-by-step application guidance, and offers expedited processing for travellers who still need formal permits—helping organisations and holidaymakers alike avoid last-minute surprises.
For organisations managing expatriate populations in China, the forecast is a timely reminder to check staff visa validity, ensure that multiple-entry permits are inserted into passports, and verify that residence-permit holders travelling internationally carry the correct re-entry documentation. The NIA reiterated that overstayers will face “zero-tolerance” penalties, including possible five-year re-entry bans, as inspectors will step up spot checks near ports and tourist hotspots.
The upbeat projection is another signal of China’s post-pandemic reopening trajectory, which has already seen international flight frequencies climb 38 percent year-on-year and the nationwide rollout of 24-hour e-channel lanes for foreign passport holders.
Major airports such as Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Baiyun have already opened additional immigration counters and biometric e-gates to cope with the peak. Land crossings at Shenzhen, Zhuhai–Macao and Heilongjiang’s border with Russia are also bracing for record volumes, with staffing rosters raised by up to 30 percent.
The administration said it will deploy roving “blue-vest” officers to assist foreign travellers with new online arrival-card procedures and QR-code health declarations, aiming to keep average clearance time under 30 minutes even at the busiest ports. Business-travel advisers recommend that multinational companies schedule staff arrivals during off-peak hours (late morning or mid-afternoon) where possible, and build extra layover time into itineraries between 16 and 23 February.
Travel managers and individual passengers seeking certainty amid these fast-moving entry rules can also turn to VisaHQ. The platform (https://www.visahq.com/china/) collates the latest visa-free eligibility lists, provides step-by-step application guidance, and offers expedited processing for travellers who still need formal permits—helping organisations and holidaymakers alike avoid last-minute surprises.
For organisations managing expatriate populations in China, the forecast is a timely reminder to check staff visa validity, ensure that multiple-entry permits are inserted into passports, and verify that residence-permit holders travelling internationally carry the correct re-entry documentation. The NIA reiterated that overstayers will face “zero-tolerance” penalties, including possible five-year re-entry bans, as inspectors will step up spot checks near ports and tourist hotspots.
The upbeat projection is another signal of China’s post-pandemic reopening trajectory, which has already seen international flight frequencies climb 38 percent year-on-year and the nationwide rollout of 24-hour e-channel lanes for foreign passport holders.
