ISLAMABAD: China has extended the amount of time foreigners can spend in the country without a visa in yet another step to attract more foreign tourists.
The country’s National Immigration Administration said in a statement that China has 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.
New Transit Visa Policy
The statement added the policy now applies to 60 ports across China, a significant increase from the previous number of 39, making it easier for foreigners transiting through China to enter the country.
China’s visa-free transit policy covers citizens from 54 nations.
Under the new policy, foreigners can stay in 24 provincial-level regions, an increase from the previous number of 19, and are permitted to travel between these regions during their stay in China.
China has implemented the visa-free transit policy since January 2013 and has been improving the policy over the years.
Earlier, there were two levels, permitting eligible visitors to visit for 72 hours or 6 days depending on the tourist destination.
In 2024, the number of foreign visitors entering China in the third quarter of the year reached a record high since tracking started in 2014, the National Immigration Administration said.
