Number of ports eligible for China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy increased to 37

The National Immigration Administration announced recently that the number of ports eligible for China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy has increased to 37. Effective immediately, the policy will be implemented at Zhengzhou International Airport in Henan Province, allowing visitors to stay in the entire administrative region of Henan Province. In Yunnan Province, the scope of the policy has expanded beyond Kunming to include nine prefectures/cities: Kunming, Lijiang, Yuxi, Pu’er, Chuxiong, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe, and Wenshan.

Three additional ports have been added to the 144-hour visa-free transit list: Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, Lijiang San Yi International Airport, and Mohan Railway Port. With this announcement, the policy now applies at 37 ports nationwide, including those in Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang and Qinhuangdao in Hebei, Shenyang and Dalian in Liaoning, Shanghai, Nanjing and Lianyungang in Jiangsu, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, and Zhoushan in Zhejiang, Zhengzhou in Henan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Jieyang in Guangdong, Qingdao in Shandong, Chongqing, Chengdu in Sichuan, Xi’an in Shaanxi, Xiamen in Fujian, Wuhan in Hubei, and Kunming, Lijiang, and Xishuangbanna in Yunnan.

Citizens from 54 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, holding valid international travel documents and confirmed onward tickets for departure within 144 hours, can transit through these designated ports without a visa and stay in the designated areas for up to 144 hours. During their stay, they may engage in short-term activities such as tourism, business, visits, and family visits, subject to bilateral visa waiver agreements or unilateral visa-free policies between these countries and China.