China expands transit passenger visa free stay scheme
China's National Immigration Administration announced (17-Dec-2024) China's Government decided to extend the transit passenger visa free stay period for ordinary passport holders from 54 countries, including the UK, the US and Canada, from 72 hours to 240 hours (10 days), effective from 17-Dec-2024. The Government also approved 21 additional airports as official ports of entry for the transit passenger visa free stay scheme, including Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, Haikou Hainan Meilan International Airport, Sanya Phoenix International Airport and Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, increasing the total number of airports approved under the scheme to 60. [more - original PR]
Background ✨
Recently, China has been implementing various trial visa-free entry policies for several countries. For instance, a trial allowing passport holders from Bulgaria, Romania, and others to enter China visa-free for up to 30 days started on 30-Nov-20241. Additionally, a trial for Portugal, Greece, and others was set to run from 15-Oct-2024, allowing a 15-day visa-free stay2. These trials reflect China's broader trend of enhancing visa-free travel options for international visitors.