China further expanded its visa-free transit policy, extending the maximum amount of time foreigners are allowed to stay in the country under the policy to 10 days from the previous 72 or 144 hours, the National Immigration Administration announced on in the morning of December 17th. Under the policy, they can stay in 24 provincial-level regions, an increase from the previous number of 19. 

Under the updated policy, eligible citizens from 54 countries, including Russia, Brazil, Britain, the United States and Canada, can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region. These travelers may now enter through any of the 60 ports across 24 provinces, regions and municipalities and stay within the designated areas for up to 240 hours. 

A notable feature of the policy adjustment is the introduction of cross-regional travel that allows foreign visitors to move freely across the 24 specified provincial-level regions during their 10-day stay. 

China recorded nearly 29.22 million inbound foreign visits between January and November 2024, up 86.2 percent year on year. Of these, 17.45 million entered the country visa-free, marking a significant 123.3 percent year-on-year growth. 

Source: China Daily