Update - November 14, 2024: The port e-visa has been expanded to the entire Pudong New Area. The port e-visa is proceeded entirely online. The registered company can log onto the Shanghai Public Security Bureau website to submit the visa application. After visa is issued, the company can download a visa confirmation PDF and send it to the applicant, after which the applicant can either print or save the PDF to their electronic devices and use it to enter any international port in Shanghai and to exit from any authorized international port.
August 1, 2024: Foreign nationals invited by registered companies in the Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone can now enter under a port e-visa for tourism, business, talent, work and personal affairs. The e-visa is valid for a 15-day single entry (extendable for another 15 days). The holder can enter through any international port in Shanghai and exit from any other international port within the country. Those who intend to work and have already secured a Notification Letter of Work Permit may specifically apply for a Z visa at the port of entry (which, in this case, is any international port in Shanghai). Once in China, they must then convert their Z visas into valid work-type residence permits before commencing work.
Additionally, the 144-hour visa-free transit policy for eligible nationals of 54 countries has been expanded to the Zhengzhou Airport in Henan Province, the Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, Mohan Railway Port and Kunming Changshui International Airport in Yunnan Province, and the additional cities in Kunming including Lijiang, Yuxi, Pu’er, Chuxiong, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe and Wenshan. The policy is now effective at 37 ports of entry in China. The transit visa allows tourism, business, and family visits, but work, study, and other purposes of travel require a separate visa application.
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 [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen
Fragomen news
Fragomen earned top national and regional rankings in Chambers USA 2026, including its 13th consecutive year in Band 1 nationwide.
Blog post
Media mentions
Senior Manager Samantha Arnold examines the remaining opportunities under Ireland’s winding-down Immigrant Investor Programme and what they mean for eligible investors and their families.
Blog post
Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit analyses the UK’s latest net migration decline, exploring what the data reveals about policy impact, economic trade‑offs and the risks of over‑correction in future migration strategy.
Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper discusses the practical considerations facing employers and foreign nationals amid recent changes to green card processing.
Blog post
Video
In this #FragomenFC episode, Partner Rick Lamanna, Senior Manager Sergio Flores and Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster discuss final travel and immigration considerations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Samantha Arnold discusses Ireland's citizenship framework and the gaps that can remain following reforms to birthright citizenship.
Video
In this video, Partner Diana Quintas discusses how Brazil’s family reunion visa supports long-term international assignments and outlines key eligibility, documentation and compliance considerations for employers and families relocating to Brazil.
Blog post
Attorney María José Clarke explores Chile’s intensified immigration enforcement framework under President José Antonio Kast, examining new employer compliance obligations, work authorization rules for foreign nationals and the legal and financial consequences of unauthorized employment.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Jonathan Hill examines how the UK's new RAG rating system and stricter compliance metrics could shape universities' approaches to international student recruitment and sponsorship compliance.
Blog post
Knowledge Management Director Ana Sofia Walsh and Senior Client Engagement Manager Soraya Driessen examine the European Commission’s EU Inc. proposal and its potential to reshape corporate structures across the EU, highlighting the resulting complexities and unresolved questions for immigration, work authorization and cross-border workforce mobility.
Fragomen news
Fragomen earned top national and regional rankings in Chambers USA 2026, including its 13th consecutive year in Band 1 nationwide.
Blog post
Media mentions
Senior Manager Samantha Arnold examines the remaining opportunities under Ireland’s winding-down Immigrant Investor Programme and what they mean for eligible investors and their families.
Blog post
Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit analyses the UK’s latest net migration decline, exploring what the data reveals about policy impact, economic trade‑offs and the risks of over‑correction in future migration strategy.
Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper discusses the practical considerations facing employers and foreign nationals amid recent changes to green card processing.
Blog post
Video
In this #FragomenFC episode, Partner Rick Lamanna, Senior Manager Sergio Flores and Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster discuss final travel and immigration considerations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Samantha Arnold discusses Ireland's citizenship framework and the gaps that can remain following reforms to birthright citizenship.
Video
In this video, Partner Diana Quintas discusses how Brazil’s family reunion visa supports long-term international assignments and outlines key eligibility, documentation and compliance considerations for employers and families relocating to Brazil.
Blog post
Attorney María José Clarke explores Chile’s intensified immigration enforcement framework under President José Antonio Kast, examining new employer compliance obligations, work authorization rules for foreign nationals and the legal and financial consequences of unauthorized employment.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Jonathan Hill examines how the UK's new RAG rating system and stricter compliance metrics could shape universities' approaches to international student recruitment and sponsorship compliance.
Blog post
Knowledge Management Director Ana Sofia Walsh and Senior Client Engagement Manager Soraya Driessen examine the European Commission’s EU Inc. proposal and its potential to reshape corporate structures across the EU, highlighting the resulting complexities and unresolved questions for immigration, work authorization and cross-border workforce mobility.
