China’s decision one year ago to merge its 72-hour and 144-hour visa-free transit schemes into a single 240-hour (10-day) programme is already paying tangible dividends for the country’s reopening push. Data released by the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on 21 December show that China processed 40.6 million foreign-passport entries in the past 12 months, a 27.2 % increase on 2024. Officials attribute more than half of that growth to heavier uptake of the 10-day transit waiver, which now covers 55 countries and 65 air, land and sea ports. Shanghai alone welcomed 5.35 million visitors under the policy, while Beijing and Guangzhou each reported that a majority of inbound foreign travellers opted for the visa-free channel.
Background and context: The unified transit waiver took effect on 17 December 2024 as part of a broad immigration overhaul aimed at reviving business travel and high-spending tourism after nearly three years of pandemic controls. Compared with the old 72/144-hour rules, the 10-day window gives executives longer to conduct factory visits, supplier audits and client meetings in multiple provinces without applying for a business (M) visa. The expansion to secondary airports—most recently Taiyuan, Hefei and Wenzhou—has spread the economic benefits beyond China’s tier-one cities.
![China’s 10-Day Visa-Free Transit Drives 27 % Jump in Foreign Arrivals]()
Why the numbers matter: The NIA credits the policy for a 60.8 % year-on-year jump in transit passengers, and online travel agency Qunar reports a 20 % rise in domestic flight bookings by foreign passport holders across 175 mainland destinations. Smaller cities such as Datong (Shanxi) and Yichun (Jiangxi) logged triple-digit percentage growth in foreign visitors, suggesting that the waiver is beginning to stimulate inland tourism and decentralise foreign investment scouting trips.
Business implications: Multinational companies can now schedule week-long China itineraries at short notice, reducing paperwork costs and enhancing flexibility for regional managers who also need to visit operations in Japan or Southeast Asia. Logistics providers report faster cargo-owner inspections at ports, and conference organisers are seeing stronger attendance from Europe and North America. Firms should, however, remind travellers that the waiver is strictly for transit to a third country and that overstays incur daily fines of RMB 500.
Practical tips: Travellers must carry confirmed onward tickets and remain within the permitted regions (often an entire province). As queues can still form at peak times, the NIA advises preregistration via its “Smart Border” mini-program to generate a QR code for expedited processing. Companies should audit their travel-approval workflows to ensure staff select ports that are covered by the 10-day scheme.
Background and context: The unified transit waiver took effect on 17 December 2024 as part of a broad immigration overhaul aimed at reviving business travel and high-spending tourism after nearly three years of pandemic controls. Compared with the old 72/144-hour rules, the 10-day window gives executives longer to conduct factory visits, supplier audits and client meetings in multiple provinces without applying for a business (M) visa. The expansion to secondary airports—most recently Taiyuan, Hefei and Wenzhou—has spread the economic benefits beyond China’s tier-one cities.
Why the numbers matter: The NIA credits the policy for a 60.8 % year-on-year jump in transit passengers, and online travel agency Qunar reports a 20 % rise in domestic flight bookings by foreign passport holders across 175 mainland destinations. Smaller cities such as Datong (Shanxi) and Yichun (Jiangxi) logged triple-digit percentage growth in foreign visitors, suggesting that the waiver is beginning to stimulate inland tourism and decentralise foreign investment scouting trips.
Business implications: Multinational companies can now schedule week-long China itineraries at short notice, reducing paperwork costs and enhancing flexibility for regional managers who also need to visit operations in Japan or Southeast Asia. Logistics providers report faster cargo-owner inspections at ports, and conference organisers are seeing stronger attendance from Europe and North America. Firms should, however, remind travellers that the waiver is strictly for transit to a third country and that overstays incur daily fines of RMB 500.
Practical tips: Travellers must carry confirmed onward tickets and remain within the permitted regions (often an entire province). As queues can still form at peak times, the NIA advises preregistration via its “Smart Border” mini-program to generate a QR code for expedited processing. Companies should audit their travel-approval workflows to ensure staff select ports that are covered by the 10-day scheme.
