CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The National Immigration Administration announced an extension of the visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals starting December 17, increasing the allowed stay from the previous 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days). This update also expanded the list of eligible visa-free transit ports from 39 to 60, allowing visa-free transit travelers to travel across provincial borders within the designated areas in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

On December 17, the first day of this expanded policy, Chongqing Port welcomed its first foreign passenger benefiting from the new visa-free transit rule. In the afternoon, Canadian traveler Morin Kevin arrived at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. Border control officers facilitated his 240-hour visa-free transit process, allowing him to enter China smoothly. "The 240-hour visa-free policy is a great benefit to me," Morin Kevin remarked. "I no longer need to make extensive preparations before coming to China, and now I have the chance to explore beautiful cities like Chongqing. I plan to use this policy to visit my friends in China more often."

The newly expanded 240-hour visa-free transit policy further broadens the areas where foreign nationals can stay. The number of eligible provinces has increased from 19, which included Beijing, Tianjin, and Chongqing, to 24, now also covering Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan, and Guizhou. Travelers can enter China through any of the 60 open ports across these 24 regions and stay for up to 240 hours, allowing them to explore the designated areas freely.

Among the newly included provinces, foreign nationals enjoying visa-free transit in Anhui, Hainan, and Guizhou can now stay anywhere within those provinces. In Shanxi, eligible travelers can stay in the cities of Taiyuan and Datong, while in Jiangxi, they can visit Nanchang and Jingdezhen. Additionally, the visa-free zones in Fujian, Hubei, and Shaanxi provinces have been expanded to include the entire province. In Guangxi, travelers can now stay in a wide range of cities, including Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Wuzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Hezhou, Hechi, and Laibin. Under this policy, foreign nationals can also travel across provincial borders within these 24 regions.

In anticipation of the increased passenger flow due to the expanded visa-free policy, the Chongqing Frontier Inspection Station is proactively streamlining entry procedures. The station will promptly issue clear guidelines on the new policy, provide travel tips, and implement operational plans to ensure smooth processing. Additionally, they will monitor flight traffic, adjust inspection channels dynamically, provide pre-boarding guidance for passengers, and optimize the border inspection process, ensuring efficient and balanced allocation of entry channels for both domestic and international travelers.

According to statistics from the Chongqing Frontier Inspection Station, since the beginning of the year, 188,000 foreign nationals have entered China through Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, marking a 2.8-fold increase compared to last year. Of these, 107,000 foreign nationals entered under the visa-free policy (including the transit visa exemption), accounting for 56.9% of all foreign arrivals. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)