Shenzhen’s immigration authority reported on 30 March that cumulative foreign entries via the city’s eight land, sea and rail checkpoints have surpassed two million since 1 January—31 percent higher than the same period in 2025 and the fastest rebound among mainland gateway cities. Of the total, 597,000 visitors entered under China’s expanding unilateral visa-free programmes, an increase of 52 percent year-on-year. The majority hailed from Malaysia, South Korea, the United States, Singapore, Canada and Australia, reflecting airlines’ recent capacity additions to Southeast Asia and North America.
![Foreign Entrants Through Shenzhen Border Top Two Million, Visa-Free Visitors Surge 52 %]()
For travellers who still need a visa or simply want the latest entry guidance, VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) provides step-by-step support for China and 200-plus other destinations, including document checklists, processing times and optional passport-courier services—helpful tools that streamline preparation before arriving at Shenzhen’s upgraded checkpoints.
Border officials credit the growth to streamlined inspection processes, including a new e-card that auto-populates arrival forms by scanning a traveller’s passport photo-page and translating prompts into 14 languages. The system—currently live at West Kowloon high-speed-rail station—has shaved average processing time by up to 80 percent and assisted more than 180,000 passengers since launch. Retailers in Huaqiangbei electronics district say the influx is already translating into sales of drones, smart-watches and AI headsets, while the local tax bureau reports a 37 percent jump in ‘instant VAT-refund’ transactions filed by departing foreigners. City authorities plan to enlarge the smart-channel to Shenzhen Bay and Futian checkpoints before the summer peak. For global mobility teams, the data confirm that Shenzhen has regained critical mass as a South China entry point. Companies relocating expatriate staff should factor in improved throughput and the convenience of same-day high-speed rail connections to Hong Kong for visa processing and onward flights.
For travellers who still need a visa or simply want the latest entry guidance, VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) provides step-by-step support for China and 200-plus other destinations, including document checklists, processing times and optional passport-courier services—helpful tools that streamline preparation before arriving at Shenzhen’s upgraded checkpoints.
Border officials credit the growth to streamlined inspection processes, including a new e-card that auto-populates arrival forms by scanning a traveller’s passport photo-page and translating prompts into 14 languages. The system—currently live at West Kowloon high-speed-rail station—has shaved average processing time by up to 80 percent and assisted more than 180,000 passengers since launch. Retailers in Huaqiangbei electronics district say the influx is already translating into sales of drones, smart-watches and AI headsets, while the local tax bureau reports a 37 percent jump in ‘instant VAT-refund’ transactions filed by departing foreigners. City authorities plan to enlarge the smart-channel to Shenzhen Bay and Futian checkpoints before the summer peak. For global mobility teams, the data confirm that Shenzhen has regained critical mass as a South China entry point. Companies relocating expatriate staff should factor in improved throughput and the convenience of same-day high-speed rail connections to Hong Kong for visa processing and onward flights.
