According to exclusive information recently released by the Chinese Immigration Administration, cited by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), China's visa-free expansion policy has been reaping unexpected results in the first half of 2025, signaling a promising new era for the country's tourism and international trade.
The latest data shows that a total of 38 million foreigners entered and exited China in the first six months of this year, an impressive 30% increase over the same period in 2024. Most notably, the number of visa-free entries jumped by more than 50%, a strong testament to the strong attraction of Beijing's flexible visa policy adjustments.
China attracts tourists thanks to visa exemption, entry increases by more than 50%
Previously, China was quite restrictive in issuing visas, only allowing visitors to transit for 24 hours without a visa, as long as they had the right documents and continued their journey to a third country. In the 2010s, some cities such as Xiamen and Kunming began testing a 72-144 hour visa-free transit policy, but visitors were still limited to local areas, not really making a breakthrough.
However, the big turning point came in late 2023. After three years of a strict “Zero Covid” policy, Beijing made a bold decision: expanding visa exemptions. This was seen as a strategic move to revive the “dormant” tourism industry and inject new life into the domestic economy. These goals have so far achieved encouraging success.
China's efforts to expand its visa-free policy continued to show clear results in the first half of 2025, according to the country's Immigration Administration.
Continuing the success, starting from December 2023, the Chinese government has increased the maximum stay for visa-free transit visitors from 72-144 hours to an impressive 240 hours (equivalent to 10 days). What is special is that this policy has now been implemented in 24 provinces and cities, allowing visitors to move freely across the country without being limited to a specific city or region as before. This opens up great opportunities to explore a variety of destinations from majestic natural landscapes to unique cultural heritages across the country.
It is known that previously China only allowed visitors to transit without a visa within 24 hours.
Also under the new regulations, visa-exempt visitors can participate in many activities such as adventure tourism, business or academic exchange. However, it should be noted that activities requiring special permits such as work, long-term study or journalism still require separate visas and prior approval from the authorities.
In addition, according to the new regulations, visa-exempt visitors are allowed to participate in activities such as tourism, business or academic exchange.
SCMP also revealed that China is planning to continue to issue more flexible and diverse entry and residence policies in the coming time. This promises to create more favorable conditions for foreigners to visit, work and live in this country, strengthening China's position on the global tourism and economic map.
Thanks to these open visa policies, China has attracted a large number of tourists to come here.
As of June 2025, the 240-hour visa-free transit policy has been applied to 55 countries, including most European countries, the US, Canada, Australia, and most recently Indonesia. In particular, China has unilaterally exempted citizens of 47 countries from visas, allowing them to stay for up to 30 days for tourism or business without a visa.
It can be seen that these strategic moves not only promote tourism growth but also serve as a clear signal of China's commitment to deeper integration with the world, opening the door for economic development and multilateral cultural exchanges.
