China: Transit Visa Exemption Policy to be Further Expanded

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At a Glance

• China will be expanding its 144-hour transit visa exemption policy to more ports and areas on December 1, 2019.
• Under the policy, nationals of 53 countries who are already eligible under the transit visa exemption will be eligible for entry to more areas through more ports of entry.

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The situation

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) in China has issued a public announcement to expand the 144-hour transit visa exemption to more ports and areas for nationals from 53 countries. The expanded policy will be effective December 1, 2019.

A closer look

Key details of the new policy are below:

• Extended visa exemption. The transit visa time at the Chongqing and Xi'an border ports will be extended from 72 to 144 hours. The administrative areas of Chongqing, Xi'an and Xianyang will remain restricted to those under this transit visa.
• Expanded entry and exit ports. The Ningbo border port will be added as one of ports in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai to which the 144-hour transit visa exemption policy applies. Eligible foreign nationals can enter and exit from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Pudong International Airport, seaports and land ports in Shanghai, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Nanjing Lukou International Airport and the Ningbo border port, and stay in the administrative areas of Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang Province under this exemption.
• Expanded eligible areas of stay. The 144-hour transit visa exemption will also be expanded to foreign nationals traveling from Chengdu Airport to Chengdu, Leshan, Deyang, Suining, Meishan, Ya'an, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Luzhou and Yibin.

 

Impact

Under the policy, nationals of 53 countries who are already eligible under the transit visa exemption will be eligible for entry to more areas through more ports of entry.

Background

• Program history.  The transit visa-free program was initially launched in 2013 and, at the time, allowed for a 72-hour stay. Since then, the program has been expanded to 144 hours, to more nationalities and to more locations in China. The program is currently available in the following locations: Beijing, Chengdu, Hebei Province, Jiangsu Province, Liaoning Province, Kunming, Qingdao, Shandong Province, Shanghai, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xiamen and Zhejiang Province.
• Registration required. Travelers who qualify under the program must complete a Temporary Residence Registration within 24 hours of entry into China.
• Restriction. There are restrictions on the administrative area where foreign nationals can stay during the 144-hour stay under this program.
• 90-day stay allowed. Foreign nationals under the exemption must limit their cumulative stay in China to 90 days in one calendar year.

 

Looking ahead

As the number of foreign business travelers to China continues to increase, employers and foreign nationals can expect the online system be expanded to more ports for more visa-free transiting travelers. Interested travelers should contact their Fragomen professional for case-specific advice. Fragomen will continue to monitor the progress of the policy and provide relevant updates.

Fragomen in China is Fragomen (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm in China. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].