Changes in China's visa policy: expansion of Port e-Visa and visa-free transit program

China continues to innovate its visa policy, offering new opportunities for foreign nationals. Let's take a look at the main changes.

Rules for entering the country with Port e-Visa have been expanded

As of July 12, 2024, China launched a new electronic visa system called Port e-Visa, which is designed to simplify the entry process for foreign nationals invited for business, tourist or professional purposes. The program was initially available only in the Lingang Special Zone in Shanghai, but has been expanded to the entire Pudong New Area as of October 25, 2024. This expansion is an important step in China's efforts to digitalize visa procedures, facilitating access to one of the country's fastest growing economic zones.

The Port e-Visa is a digital version of the traditional paper visa, allowing registered Chinese companies to submit online visa applications for their foreign partners and visitors. The approved visa is valid for 15 days and is a single entry visa, allowing foreign nationals to stay in the country for up to 30 days.

To obtain a Port e-Visa, registered companies must apply on the Shanghai Public Security Bureau's website. Once the request is processed and the visa is issued, organizations can download a PDF file of the confirmation, which is sent to the applicant. This document can be printed or saved on electronic devices and used to enter through Shanghai's authorized international ports, as well as to leave any port in the country.

In the future, the Port e-Visa system may be expanded to other regions of China, providing even more options for international visitors.

Expansion of 144-hour visa-free transit policy

China has also expanded the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, which was introduced on December 1, 2019 for citizens of 54 countries, greatly simplifying the entry process for a multitude of foreign nationals. With the recent changes, the program now covers new entry points, making travel to China even more affordable.

Visa-free transit is now available at Zhengzhou Airport in Henan Province, Lijiang Sanya International Airport, Mohan Railway Port and Kunming Changshui International Airport in Yunnan Province. Additional cities in Kunming such as Lijiang, Yuxi, Pu'er, Chusyun, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe and Wenshan have also been added to the list . As a result, the visa-free transit policy covers 37 ports of entry in China.

The 144-hour visa-free transit allows foreign visitors to stay in certain areas of China for a limited time without having to apply for a visa. The period of stay is calculated from 00:00 the day after arrival. During this time, foreign nationals are allowed to engage in tourism, business matters and personal activities. However, it is worth remembering that visa-free transit does not entitle you to work, study or other travel purposes that would require a separate visa.

To take advantage of visa-free transit, foreign nationals must have an intended route to a third country after leaving China. This condition is important for compliance with program rules and legality of stay.

Thus, the expansion of visa options and simplification of procedures make China more accessible to foreign nationals, while emphasizing the country's commitment to promoting international cooperation and integration.

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