China records 30 % surge in visa-free foreign arrivals in Q1 2026

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ regular press conference on April 23 (Thursday), spokesperson Guo Jiakun revealed that almost 1.9 million foreign nationals entered China without a visa between January and March 2026—an increase of “nearly 30 percent” compared with the same period last year. The jump is the first quarterly reading to capture the full impact of Beijing’s decision in February to extend its 30-day unilateral visa-waiver programme for citizens of 50 countries—including newly added Canada and the United Kingdom—until 31 December 2026. Officials attribute the upswing to three factors. First, the expanded waiver list now covers most of the G7 and EU, sharply reducing administrative friction for business travellers, investors and tourists. Second, airlines have restored more than 80 percent of pre-pandemic international seat capacity, making direct flights to tier-one hubs such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou easier to secure. Third, the National Immigration Administration’s (NIA) electronic arrival-card service, rolled out nationwide last November, has cut average border-clearance time for foreigners by 40 percent, according to NIA trial data. The influx is already rippling through corporate travel budgets. Hotel group Huazhu told analysts that its upscale brands posted a 22 percent year-on-year rise in foreign guest-nights in March, while ride-hailing platform DiDi reported a 35 percent jump in airport pick-ups linked to overseas-issued credit cards. Consulting firms say multinationals that froze China visits during the pandemic are now rebooting site audits, supplier inspections and board meetings, feeding demand for short-notice executive visas that are no longer required under the waiver policy.



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Policy-makers frame the trend as a confidence signal for the broader economy. "A vibrant, connected China is good for global growth, and we welcome more international friends to seize new opportunities here," Guo said. Nevertheless, he stressed that visa-free entrants must still register accommodation within 24 hours and obey China’s laws; violators face fines or detention. Travel managers should therefore refresh employee briefings on local compliance, data-security rules and export-control sensitivities. Looking ahead, sources close to the NIA say officials are studying a second-phase package that could extend visa-free stays to 60 days for qualifying investors, and add Australia and New Zealand to the waiver list before the end of 2026. Companies with China-bound mobility programmes should track these deliberations and align travel-approval workflows to capture the cost and speed advantages of visa-free entry.