The National Immigration Administration announced on Dec 17 that it will fully relax and optimize the visa-free transit policy, which is effective immediately. Xiamen is involved.
The stay duration for foreign nationals eligible for visa-free transit has been extended from the previous 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days).
Moreover, the scope of stay activities in Fujian will be expanded to the entire province.
On the first day of the new visa-free transit policy, Xiamen Port welcomed its first traveler under the change.
A British national called Jane applied for a 240-hour visa-free transit at the Xiamen border authorities, becoming the first traveler at Xiamen Port to do so.
"As a foreigner, the visa-free transit policy allows me to travel easily in China, and the entire application process is also very simple and efficient, which will make me want to come again," she said.
The 240-hour visa-free transit policy being implemented at Xiamen Port is a further refinement that followed the implementation of the 72-hour visa-free transit policy at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport on April 1, 2015, and the implementation of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy at Xiamen's sea and air passenger ports on Jan 1, 2019.
As of Dec 16, Xiamen had issued over 3,000 of the 144-hour visa-free transit permits to foreign travelers who meet the entry conditions. Of these, nearly 85 percent were tourists and business travelers visiting Xiamen, with the largest proportion being Australian nationals, accounting for almost 20 percent of the applicants for the 144-hour visa-free transit, ranking first.
China has rolled out multiple new policies to optimize payment services for foreigners, allowing convenient use of international bank cards on platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay.
China announced on Nov 22 the extension of its visa-exemption policy to nine more countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Japan, starting from the end of this month to the end of 2025.
