Explainer: China's newly expanded visa-free transit
Will it be a game changer in boosting incoming visitors?
On Dec. 17, China announced a significant relaxation of its visa-free transit (VFT) policy, expanding the scope and duration of the policy to facilitate a better traveling experience in China.
This newsletter will offer a granular explainer of the newly expanded program, answering practical questions including who can enjoy the policy, how long can travelers stay in China, where foreign travelers can and cannot travel under the program, and some of the recommended places to visit.
【1】Who is it for?
Passport holders from 54 countries are eligible for the VFT program. They are:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Danmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monte Negro, North Macedonia, Albania, Belarus, Norway, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, UAE, and Qatar.
【2】How to enter China under the VFT program?
Passport holders of the above countries can show up at one of any 60 designated ports of entry, and present a) a travel document that is valid for more than 3 months and b) confirmed travel tickets exiting China within 240 hours, and can enjoy VFT entry into China.
That is to say, travelers entering China on this program can stay up to 10 days. (Previously travelers could stay 3 days or 6 days depending on points of entry. Now it’s 10 days wherever you enter)
【3】Which are the 60 points of entry?
Beijing Capital Airport (IATA Code: PEK, Beijing)
Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX, Beijing)
Tianjin Binhai Airport (TSN, Tianjin)
Tianjin Seaport (Tianjin)
Shijiazhuang Zhengding Airport (SJW, Hebei)
Qinhuangdao Seaport (Hebei)
Shenyang Taoxian Airport (SHE, Liaoning)
Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport (DLC, Liaoning)
Dalian Seaport (Liaoning)
Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA, Shanghai)
Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG, Shanghai)
Shanghai Seaport (Shanghai)
Nanjing Lukou Airport (NKG, Jiangsu)
Sunan Shuofang Airport* (WUX, Jiangsu)
Yangzhou Taizhou Airport* (YTY, Jiangsu)
Lianyungang Seaport (Jiangsu)
Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport (HGH, Zhejiang)
Ningbo Lishe Airport (NGB, Zhejiang)
Wenzhou Longwan Airport* (WNZ, Zhejiang)
Yiwu Airport (YIW, Zhejiang)
Wenzhou Seaport (Zhejiang)
Zhoushan Seaport (Zhejiang)
Hefei Xinqiao Airport* (HFE, Anhui)
Huangshan Tunxi Airport* (TXN, Anhui)
Fuzhou Changle Airport (FOC, Fujian)
Xiamen Gaoqi Airport (XMN, Fujian)
Quanzhou Jinjiang Airport* (JJN, Fujian)
Wuyishan Airport (WUS, Fujian)
Xiamen Seaport (Fujian)
Jinan Yaoqiang Airport* (TNA, Shandong)
Qingdao Jiaodong Airport (TAO, Shandong)
Yantai Penglai Airport* (YNT, Shandong)
Weihai Dashuibo Airport* (WEH, Shandong)
Qingdao Seaport (Shandong)
Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport (CGO, Henan)
Wuhan Tianhe Airport (WUH, Hubei)
Changsha Huanghua Airport (CSX, Hunan)
Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport* (DYG, Hunan)
Guangzhou Baiyun Airport (CAN, Guangdong)
Shenzhen Bao’an Airport (SZX, Guangdong)
Jieyang Chaoshan Airport (SWA, Guangdong)
Nansha port (Guangdong)
Shekou port (Guangdong)
Haikou Meilan Airport* (HAK, Hainan)
Sanya Fenghuang Airport* (SYX, Hainan)
Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG, Chongqing)
Guiyang Longdongbao Airport* (KWE, Guizhou)
Xi’an Xianyang Airport (XIY, Shaanxi)
Taiyuan Wusu Airport* (TYN, Shanxi)
Nanchang Changbei Airport* (KHN, Jiangxi)
Nanning Wuxu Airport* (NNG, Guangxi)
Guilin Liangjiang Airport (KWL, Guangxi)
Beihai Fucheng Airport* (BHY, Guangxi)
Beihai Port (Guangxi)
Chengdu Shuangliu Airport (CTU, Sichuan)
Chengdu Tianfu Airport* (TFU, Sichuan)
Kunming Changshui Airport (KMG, Yunnan)
Lijiang Sanyi Airport (LJG, Yunnan)
Mohan Railway Port (Yunnan)
Harbin Taiping Airport (HRB, Heilongjiang).
* 21 Newly added points of entry as of Dec.17.
【4】Where can I go during my stay in the VFT program?
The above map indicates regions that are open to travelers under the VFT program. Provinces (cities) in yellow are fully open, while provinces in red are partially open.
The fully open provinces include: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Shandong, Shaanxi*, Henan, Anhui*, Jiangsu, Hubei*, Chongqing, Guizhou*, Hunan, Guangdong, Fujian*, Hainan*, and Zhejiang.
The partially open provinces include: Heilongjiang (Harbin city only), Jiangxi* (Nanchang and Jingdezhen cities only), Shanxi* (Taiyuan and Datong cities only), Sichuan (only the cities of Chengdu, Zigong, Luzhou, Deyang, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Yibin, Ya’an, Meishan, Ziyang), Yunnan (only the cities of Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Honghe, Wenshan, Pu’er, Xishuangbanna, Dali, and Lijiang), Guangxi (only the cities of Nanning*, Liuzhou*, Guilin, Wuzhou*, Beihai, Fangchenggang*, Qinzhou*, Guigang*, Yulin*, Hezhou*, Hechi*, and Laibin*)
* Newly added or newly expanded regions open to VFT travelers as of Dec.17.
A prominent feature of the latest change is that the VFT now allows travelers to "conduct cross-regional travel" within the 10-day limit, basically giving VFT travelers the chance to roam the above yellow provinces and eligible cities in the red provinces freely.
Note that the eligible regions are only applicable to travelers under the VFT program. Travelers entering China on a normal tourist visa or other visa-free arrangements are not confined to the eligible regions under the VFT program.
Passport holders of the following countries can enter China visa-free and stay for up to 30 days. Nationals of these countries don’t need to enter under VFT program. Comparing the below list and countries eligible for the VFT, notable differences include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Russia, whose nationals may not enter China visa-free but are eligible for the VFT program.
[Group A]
Albania, UAE, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Bahamas, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dominica, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Maldives, Mauritius, Serbia, Seychelles, San Marino, Surinam, Thailand, Togo, Singapore, Soloman Islands, Brunei, and Armenia.
[Group B*]
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia
Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg
Australia, New Zealand, Poland
Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia
Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Danmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, ROK
Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Monte Negro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, Japan
*Until Dec. 31, 2025
【5】What are the hottest tourist spots in regions covered by the VFT?
A good place to start is to check out the UNESCO World Heritage sites in China, including Cultural Heritage sites, Natural Heritage sites, and mixed sites.
In addition, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism assigns a rating for each of the country’s tourist spots, ranging from A to AAAAA, based on quality and management factors like ease of transportation links, site safety, cleanliness, etc., and also takes into account the uniqueness and recognition of the sightseeing offers.
Here’s a link to all of China’s AAAAA spots, but a general rule of thumb is the earlier it’s given the prestigious status, the more must-go the site usually is. If your time is limited, focus on the first batch of 66 tourist spots that were given the status in 2007.