by XIN Yuan
China will expand its visa-free transit policy to 65 entry points, up from 60, as part of ten new measures to boost cross-border travel and support high-quality development, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) said on Monday.
Six of the measures will take effect on Nov. 5, and four more on Nov. 20, the agency said.
Starting Wednesday, five ports in Guangdong Province — Pazhou Ferry Terminal (Guangzhou), Hengqin Port, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, Zhongshan Port, and the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed rail — will join China's 240-hour visa-free transit program, which allows eligible travelers to stay up to 10 days without a visa.
The move comes amid a rebound in inbound travel. As of Oct 31, passenger traffic through Beijing ports exceeded 18 million, up 17.6% from a year earlier, while foreign entries and exits reached 5.2 million, up 34.2%. Xiamen also saw crossings rise more than 20% to over 5 million.
Vice Commerce Minister SHENG Qiuping said at a briefing on Oct. 28 that 20.89 million foreigners entered China visa-free in the first nine months of 2025, up 50% year on year, with tax-refund sales nearly doubling.
Other measures taking effect on Nov. 5 will expand travel permits for Hong Kong and Macao exchanges, allow nationwide applications for Taiwan family-visit permits, and promote smart customs clearance at selected ports.
From Nov. 20, the NIA will extend online document renewal to 50 cities, authorize more ports including Tianjin to issue single-entry Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan Residents, and launch online entry card filing for foreign travelers.
