The China 144-hour visa-free transit policy allows travelers from certain countries to stay in specific regions of China for up to 144 hours (six days) without needing to obtain a visa in advance from July 30th,2024. This policy is particularly convenient for short visits, such as business trips, layovers, or tourism.
What is the China144-Hour Visa-Free Transit?
1. Eligibility:
- The policy applies to citizens of specific countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and most European nations, among others.
- Travelers must be transiting through China, meaning they must arrive from one country and depart to a different third country (i.e., you cannot fly from Country A to China and then return to Country A).
2. Applicable Cities/Regions:
The 144-hour visa-free policy is available in several cities and regions in China, including:
- **Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei**: Beijing Capital International Airport, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, and Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport.
- **Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang**: Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao airports, Nanjing Lukou International Airport, and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.
- **Guangdong Province**: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, and other points of entry.
- **Chengdu**: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
- **Chongqing**: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.
- **Xiamen**: Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport.
- **Qingdao**: Qingdao Liuting International Airport.
- **Wuhan**: Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.
3. Requirements:
- Travelers must have valid passports from the eligible countries.
- They must have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country, departing within 144 hours.
- They must enter and exit through the specified ports in the regions offering the 144-hour visa-free transit.
4. Permitted Stay:
- The 144-hour period starts from the time of entry into China.
- Travelers must stay within the specified regions during their visa-free transit period.
5. Application Process:
- No pre-application is necessary; travelers simply inform the immigration officers at the port of entry about their intent to use the 144-hour visa-free transit policy.
- The process involves filling out an arrival/departure card and presenting relevant documents like passports and onward tickets.
6. Which countries are allowed to take this visa free policy to China?
The 144-hour visa-free transit policy in China applies to citizens of certain countries. These countries are primarily from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. Here’s a list of eligible countries:
Europe:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Asia:
- Brunei
- Japan
- Qatar
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United Arab Emirates
Americas:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- Mexico
- United States
Oceania:
- Australia
- New Zealand
Others:
- Monaco
This policy allows citizens from these countries to enjoy a visa-free stay in certain regions of China for up to 144 hours (six days) while in transit to a third country. It's essential that travelers meet all other requirements, such as having a confirmed onward ticket to a third country and entering and exiting through specified ports.
What will be the opportunities after this visa free policy in China?
This policy is designed to encourage tourism and facilitate business travel through major transit hubs in China.
Regading business, it will be very convenient for business owners to travel to China to do market research, China company registration process, exhibitions, meet partners in China...
Based on report from CIIE 2024 host, the visitors registered from overseas increased a lot this year after this new policy launched. it seems a new trend will be coming, China Travel and China business will be good options for global business owners!
SODA Global will be All-in-one China service provider for customers, If you have plan to do business in China, kindly contact us for more details.
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