China rolls out 5 new measures to facilitate foreigners' visits

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The new measures include a relaxation of port visa application requirements, and an exemption from border check procedures for transit passengers at nine major international airports.

To attract more foreigners coming to China for business, education, and tourism, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced five measures yesterday (11 January 2024) at a press conference to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals with immediate effect.

1. Relaxation of port visa application requirements
Foreign nationals who urgently need to visit China for non-diplomatic and non-official purposes such as commercial cooperation, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, and handling personal matters, but who do not have time to apply for a visa abroad, can apply for port visas from port visa authorities with invitations and other relevant documents.

2. Eligible foreigners can transit directly through nine major international airports without going through border check procedures
International passengers subject to 24-hour visa-free transit will be exempt from border inspection procedures at nine international airports, namely Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, and Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. 

Entry and exit passengers who transit to a third country or region through any of the above-mentioned airports with an international connecting ticket, within 24 hours, can directly transit without a visa.

3. Facilitating an easier process for visa extension and renewal
Foreign nationals coming to China for short-term non-diplomatic and non-official purposes such as commercial cooperation, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, sightseeing and handling personal matters, if they have legitimate and reasonable reasons to continue their stay in the country, may apply for visa extension and renewal at the Exit and Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau at their place of stay.

4. Provision of re-entry visas for foreigners who need to enter and exit the country multiple times
Foreign nationals in China who need to enter and exit the country multiple times for legitimate and reasonable reasons may apply to the Exit and Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau for issuing a multiple-entry visa, by providing the invitation letter and other relevant certification materials.

5. Simplifying the document submission process for applying for a China visa
When applying for relevant visas to China, foreigners whose documentation – such as temporary residence registration records, business licenses, and other relevant data – can be accessed by authorities through official information-sharing mechanisms, will be exempted from submitting these documents for verification.

Foreigners in China who apply for short-term family visit and reunion visas can use a family relationship statement provided by the inviter instead of a kinship certificate.

Photo / China's State Council Information Office press conference