China’s visa-free push pays off: 30 million arrivals in 2025 fuel 49.5 % jump in inbound travel
China widens unilateral 30-day visa waiver to Brazil, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Spain and more
Brazil drops visas for Chinese visitors as part of eight-nation waiver package
Latest News
Chinese embassy coordinates over-land evacuation from Iran as Gulf conflict escalates
China evacuated 18 nationals from Iran to Azerbaijan on 1 March using the visa-free land border at Astara as air routes remained uncertain amid Gulf hostilities. The case illustrates how China’s growing network of visa-waiver agreements can serve emergency mobility needs and offers a template for corporate evacuation planning in high-risk regions.
China Reports 49.5 % Surge in Visa-Free Entries During 2025
Data released on 28 February show 30.08 million foreigners entered China visa-free in 2025 – a 49.5 % jump versus 2024. Expanded 30-day waivers, 240-hour transit rules and digital arrival cards are credited for the surge, cutting red-tape for tourists and business travellers alike. The figures confirm that facilitating short-term mobility is now central to China’s economic-recovery plan.
240-Hour Transit Scheme Drives Business Stopovers as Visa-Free Visits Soar
VisaVerge reports that China’s 240-hour visa-free transit programme, now active at 60 ports, is fuelling a sharp rise in business stopovers and multi-country itineraries. Together with unilateral 30-day waivers, the scheme helped push visa-free arrivals to 30 million in 2025, signalling new flexibility for corporate travel managers.
Chinese Embassy in Tehran Halts Visa Issuance Amid Escalating Conflict
China’s embassy in Iran announced on 28 February that it will stop issuing visas and consular legalisations from 1 March, citing security concerns after regional strikes. Chinese nationals can still obtain emergency travel documents, but business visas and document authentication are halted, complicating corporate operations in Iran.
New Yangon–Changsha Flight Boosts Central China’s Links to Southeast Asia
Myanmar Airways’ newly launched Yangon–Changsha flight, spotlighted on 28 February, gives central China a direct air bridge to Southeast Asia. The route shortens travel times, opens cargo belly-hold capacity and offers corporates new options to move staff between Hunan and Myanmar under China’s expanding visa-free and transit frameworks.