On December 17th, the National Immigration Administration held a press conference to report on the relaxation and optimization of the transit visa free policy.
With regard to further easing and optimizing the visa free policy for foreigners in transit from now on, Liu Jia, Deputy Director of the Aliens Management Department of the National Immigration Administration, suggested that if foreigners apply for 240 hour visa free transit to China, they should pay attention to the following points:
One is to choose a good transit port.Citizens of 54 countries eligible for the 240 hour transit visa free policy can enter China at any of the 60 ports where the policy applies, such as Beijing and Shanghai. The 240 hour transit visa free policy is currently not applicable at other ports.
The second is to complete the entry procedures.Foreign passengers who meet the requirements and hold their own passport with a validity period of not less than 3 months, and have booked a connecting ticket for a stopover in China and travel to a third country or region within 240 hours in advance, can apply to the border inspection authority at the port and enter the country after completing the transit procedures in accordance with the law.
Thirdly, pay attention to the scope of activities.After entering the country, foreign tourists can travel for sightseeing and inter provincial travel within the designated areas of 24 provinces (regions, cities), including Beijing, where the transit visa free policy applies. During the trip, it is important to plan the travel route reasonably based on the allowed activity areas and not to stay beyond the designated area.
Fourthly, comply with the stay regulations.During the stay in China, one must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, and complete accommodation registration at the hotel or police station within 24 hours of entry. Transit visa free foreign tourists are allowed to stay in China for no more than 240 hours, during which they can engage in activities such as tourism, business, visits, and family visits. If there are urgent and reasonable reasons or force majeure that require staying in China beyond the prescribed time limit or beyond the allowed stay area, one should apply for a stay permit from the local public security exit and entry management department in advance.
The Chinese immigration management department will issue reminder forms and provide transit visa free policy guidance services for foreign tourists upon their arrival at the port. At the same time, the National Immigration Bureau’s 12367 platform 24-hour service hotline provides multilingual policy consultation and answer services to the world. The official website’s “12367 Online Service” function also provides real-time response services to timely answer questions and clarify doubts for Chinese and foreign personnel, effectively improving the convenience of foreign travel in China.