China expands visa-free policy to allow stays of up to 240 hours at 60 ports in 24 provincial regions starting from Tuesday.
The National Migration Administration announced today that it will fully relax and optimize the transit visa free policy from December 17, and extend the stay time of transit visa free foreigners in China from 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). At the same time, 21 new ports will be added as entry and exit ports for transit visa free people, and further expand the stay area. Eligible personnel from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, who transit from China to a third country (region), can come to China without visa from any of the 60 open ports in 24 provinces (districts, cities), and stay in the specified area for no more than 240 hours.
The 21 new ports added in this relaxation and optimization of transit visa free policy include: Shanxi Taiyuan Wusu International Airport Port, Jiangsu Wuxi Sunan Shuofang, Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport Port, Zhejiang Wenzhou Longwan, Jinhua Yiwu International Airport Port, Anhui Hefei Xinqiao, Mount Huangshan Tunxi International Airport Port, Fujian Fuzhou Changle, Quanzhou Jinjiang, Nanping Mount Wuyi International Airport Port, Jiangxi Nanchang International Airport Port, Shandong Jinan Yaoqiang, Yantai Penglai, Weihai Dashuibo International Airport Port, Hunan Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport Port, Guangxi Nanning Wuwei, Beihai Fucheng International Airport Port, Hainan Haikou Meilan, Sanya Phoenix International Airport Port Airport port, Sichuan Chengdu Tianfu International Airport port, Guizhou Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport port. The number of ports open to the outside world has increased from 39 to 60.
The comprehensive relaxation and optimization of the 240 hour transit visa free policy has further expanded the stay activity area. The policy applies to 19 provinces (regions, cities) including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Shaanxi, with an additional 5 provinces (regions, cities) including Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou, for a total of 24 provinces (regions, cities). Among the 5 newly added provinces, the transit visa free personnel will stay in the provinces of Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou for the entire province, Taiyuan and Datong for Shanxi Province, and Nanchang and Jingdezhen for Jiangxi Province. Expand the stay activity areas of Fujian, Hubei, and Shaanxi provinces to the whole province, and expand the stay activity areas of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to 12 administrative regions including Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin. Foreigners who come to China through the transit visa free policy can travel across provinces in the above 24 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) within their permitted areas of stay.
The relevant person in charge of the National Immigration Administration introduced that the relaxation and optimization of the transit visa free policy is an important measure taken by the National Immigration Administration to earnestly study and implement the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference, actively serve and promote high-level opening up to the outside world, and facilitate the exchange of Chinese and foreign personnel. It is conducive to accelerating the cross-border flow of personnel, promoting foreign exchange and cooperation, and injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the economy and society. In the next step, the National Immigration Administration will continue to deepen the opening of immigration management system, continue to optimize and improve immigration entry and exit facilitation policies, continue to improve the convenience of foreigners to study, work and live in China, and welcome more foreign friends to China to experience the beauty of China in the new era.
Applicable conditions of visa free policy for foreigners applying for 240 hour transit
One is citizens of the 54 countries eligible for transit visa free policies:
European countries (40): Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway;
Six American countries: United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile;
Oceania countries (2): Australia, New Zealand;
Asian countries (6): South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.
The second requirement is to present a valid international travel document, valid for no less than 3 months, and meet the entry requirements for traveling to a third country (region).
The third is to hold a connecting ticket or relevant certificate for a third country (region) with a date and seat confirmed within 240 hours, fill in the entry card for temporary foreigners, and accept the inspection and inquiry of the entry-exit border inspection authority.
Foreigners who meet the above conditions can apply to the border inspection authorities at 60 ports in Beijing, Shanghai and other places in China, and the border inspection authorities will handle temporary entry formalities for them. The visa free stay time starts from 0:00 on the next day of entry. Those who comply with the mutual visa exemption agreement signed with our country or our unilateral visa exemption policy can follow its provisions.
停留240小时、新增21个口岸，中国过境免签政策全面放宽优化
2024-12-17 10:08
国家移民管理局今天发布公告，12月17日起全面放宽优化过境免签政策，将过境免签外国人在境内停留时间由原72小时和144小时均延长为240小时（10天），同时新增21个口岸为过境免签人员入出境口岸，并进一步扩大停留活动区域。符合条件的俄罗斯、巴西、英国、美国、加拿大等54国人员，从中国过境前往第三国（地区），可从24个省（区、市）60个对外开放口岸中任一口岸免签来华，并在规定区域停留活动不超过240小时。
此次放宽优化过境免签政策新增的21个口岸包括：山西太原武宿国际机场口岸，江苏无锡苏南硕放、扬州泰州国际机场口岸，浙江温州龙湾、金华义乌国际机场口岸，安徽合肥新桥、黄山屯溪国际机场口岸，福建福州长乐、泉州晋江、南平武夷山国际机场口岸，江西南昌国际机场口岸，山东济南遥墙、烟台蓬莱、威海大水泊国际机场口岸，湖南张家界荷花国际机场口岸，广西南宁吴圩、北海福成国际机场口岸，海南海口美兰、三亚凤凰国际机场口岸，四川成都天府国际机场口岸，贵州贵阳龙洞堡国际机场口岸。适用对外开放口岸由原有的39个增加至60个。
全面放宽优化后的240小时过境免签政策进一步扩大了停留活动区域。政策适用省份由原有的北京、天津、河北、辽宁、黑龙江、上海、江苏、浙江、福建、山东、河南、湖北、湖南、广东、广西、重庆、四川、云南、陕西19个省（区、市）增加山西、安徽、江西、海南、贵州5省，合计24个省（区、市）。新增的5省中，过境免签人员在安徽、海南、贵州3省停留活动区域为全省，在山西省停留活动区域为太原、大同市，在江西省停留活动区域为南昌、景德镇市。将福建、湖北、陕西3省停留活动区域扩大至全省，广西壮族自治区停留活动区域扩大至南宁、柳州、桂林、梧州、北海、防城港、钦州、贵港、玉林、贺州、河池、来宾12市行政区域。通过过境免签政策来华的外国人可在上述24个省（区、市）允许停留活动区域内跨省域旅行。
国家移民管理局相关负责人介绍，此次放宽优化过境免签政策是国家移民管理局认真学习贯彻中央经济工作会议精神、主动积极服务促进高水平对外开放、便利中外人员往来的重要举措，有利于加快推动人员跨境流动，促进对外交流合作，为经济社会高质量发展注入新动能。下一步，国家移民管理局将持续深入推进移民管理制度型开放，不断优化改进移民出入境便利政策，持续提升外国人来华学习、工作、生活便利度，欢迎更多的外国朋友来中国，亲身感受新时代中国之美。
外国人申请240小时过境免签政策的适用条件
一是属于54个适用过境免签政策国家的公民：
欧洲国家（40个）：奥地利、比利时、捷克、丹麦、爱沙尼亚、芬兰、法国、德国、希腊、匈牙利、冰岛、意大利、拉脱维亚、立陶宛、卢森堡、马耳他、荷兰、波兰、葡萄牙、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亚、西班牙、瑞典、瑞士、摩纳哥、俄罗斯、英国、爱尔兰、塞浦路斯、保加利亚、罗马尼亚、乌克兰、塞尔维亚、克罗地亚、波黑、黑山、北马其顿、阿尔巴尼亚、白俄罗斯、挪威；
美洲国家（6个）：美国、加拿大、巴西、墨西哥、阿根廷、智利；
大洋洲国家（2个）：澳大利亚、新西兰；
亚洲国家（6个）：韩国、日本、新加坡、文莱、阿联酋、卡塔尔。
二是需持本人有效国际旅行证件，有效期不少于3个月，符合前往第三国（地区）入境条件。
三是需持240小时内已确定日期及座位的前往第三国（地区）的联程客票或相关证明，填写临时入境外国人入境卡，接受出入境边防检查机关的检查和询问。
符合上述条件的外国人，可向中国北京、上海等地的60个口岸的边检机关提出申请，边检机关将为其办理临时入境手续，免签停留时间自入境次日零时起算。符合与我国签署互免签证协定或我单方面免签政策的，可从其规定。