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NIA Releases Visa-Free Transit Policies for Foreign Nationals

2024-08-26 16:34:22 From: 314

【Introduction】 NIA Releases Visa-Free Transit Policies for Foreign Nationals on July 3, 2024.

In line with global norms, China has implemented a 24-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals from all other countries around the world at all its accessible exit-entry ports. Foreign nationals holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed seats, who intend to transit via China by international flights, ships, or trains to third countries or regions, are exempt from visa applications, provided that their stay periods in China will not exceed 24 hours and that they will remain within the corresponding ports. Those who plan to leave the ports must apply for temporary entry permits at the exit-entry border inspection authorities of the corresponding ports.

Currently, 38 exit-entry ports in 18 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government of China have implemented the 72-hour or 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals from 54 countries. These countries are Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Foreign nationals from these countries holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with information on confirmed dates and seats for transit via China to third countries or regions within specified time frames can apply for visa-free transits at the exit-entry border inspection authorities of the ports in the cities where the visa-free transit policies are in effect. The exit-entry border inspection authorities will then process their applications and grant temporary entry to the eligible foreign nationals. The duration of stay for each foreign national starts from 0:00 on the day following the day of entry. 

The list of the ports in cities where the 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit policies are in effect is stated below.

S/N

Provincial-Level Administrative Division/Region

Eligible City

Eligible Port

Permitted Stay Area(s)

Notes


72-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy


1

Hunan Province

Changsha, Hunan

Changsha Huanghua International Airport

Hunan Province



2

Heilongjiang Province

Harbin, Heilongjiang

Harbin Taiping International Airport

Harbin City



3

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Guilin, Guangxi

Guilin Liangjiang International Airport

Guilin City



4

Beihai, Guangxi

Beihai Port (for passenger transport)

Beihai City



144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy


1

Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

Beijing

Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province

Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province have collaboratively implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter and exit China through all the eligible ports within the region, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.


2

Beijing Daxing International Airport


3

Beijingxi Railway Station


4

Tianjin

Tianjin Binhai International Airport


5

Tianjin International Cruise Home Port


6

Shijiazhuang, Hebei

Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport


7

Qinhuangdao, Hebei

Qinhuangdao Port (for passenger transport)


8

Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region

Shanghai

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province

Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Municipality have collaboratively implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter and exit China through all the eligible ports within the region, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.


9

Shanghai Pudong International Airport


10

Shanghai Port (for passenger transport)


11

Exit-Entry Port of Shanghai Railway Station


12

Nanjing, Jiangsu

Nanjing Lukou International Airport


13

Lianyungang, Jiangsu

Lianyungang Port (for passenger transport)


14

Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport


15

Ningbo, Zhejiang

Ningbo Lishe International Airport


16

Wenzhou, Zhejiang

Wenzhou Port (for passenger transport)


17

Zhoushan, Zhejiang

Zhoushan Port (for passenger transport)


18

Guangdong Province

Guangzhou, Guangdong

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Guangdong Province

Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter China through the airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Jieyang, as well as Nansha Port and Shekou Port, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours. Foreign nationals having entered China through the aforementioned ports in Guangdong Province are permitted to leave China through all the 36 exit-entry ports providing passenger transport services within the province.


19

Nansha Port (for passenger transport)


20

Shenzhen, Guangdong

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport


21

Shekou Port (for passenger transport)


22

Jieyang, Guangdong

Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport


23

Liaoning Province

Shenyang, Liaoning

Shenyang Taoxian International Airport

Liaoning Province

Foreign nationals meeting the policy's requirements can enter and exit China through the airports in Shenyang and Dalian, as well as Dalian Port, and stay for a maximum of 144 hours.


24

Dalian, Liaoning

Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport


25

Dalian Port (for passenger transport)


26

Shandong Province

Qingdao, Shandong

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport

Shandong Province



27

Qingdao Port (for passenger transport)


28

Chongqing Municipality

Chongqing

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport

Chongqing Municipality



29

Sichuan Province

Chengdu, Sichuan

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Chengdu City, Deyang City, Leshan City, Luzhou City, Meishan City, Neijiang City, Suining City, Ya'an City, Yibin City, Zigong City and Ziyang City



30

Shaanxi Province

Xi'an, Shaanxi

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport

Xi'an City and Xianyang City



31

Fujian Province

Xiamen, Fujian

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport

Xiamen City



32

Port of Xiamen (for passenger transport)


33

Hubei Province

Wuhan, Hubei

Wuhan Tianhe International Airport

Wuhan City



34

Yunnan Province

Kunming, Yunnan

Kunming Changshui International Airport

Kunming City



Sourced from the National Immigration Administration