China has further expanded its visa-free entry program to cover citizens from nine additional countries. Starting November 30, visitors from a total of 38 eligible countries can stay in China visa-free for up to 30 days, doubling the previous limit of 15 days.
This initiative, set to remain in effect until the end of 2025, reflects China’s strategic push to revive and diversify its inbound tourism sector post-pandemic.
The newly added countries include Japan and eight European nations: Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, and Latvia.
Japan had been advocating for visa-free entry to China. Earlier this month, a delegation of Japan Association of Corporate Executives had visited China urging the restoration of visa exemptions for short-term Japanese visitors. From 2003, China granted visa-free entry to Japanese nationals, but this was discontinued in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.
The visa-free program, which began in December 2023, initially covered six European countries — France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. Over the past year, China has gradually expanded this list.
China’s foreign ministry highlighted the dual benefits of the policy, allowing for seamless business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchanges, and transit. Lin Jian, the foreign ministry spokesperson, stated, “Starting from November 30, ordinary passport holders from 38 countries can enter China without a need to apply for a visa for the purposes of business, tourism, family visits, exchanges and visits and transit, with stays of no more than 30 days.”
More Visa Types Eligible for Visa-Free Entry
A notable addition to the program is the inclusion of visits under the F Visa category, which covers non-commercial purposes like research, academic exchanges, and cultural events. This move is expected to foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing between China and its international partners.
The impact of earlier visa relaxations has already been significant. Since granting visa-free access to South Korea earlier this month, group tour bookings to China have surged by 91%, and flight ticket sales
have jumped 134%, according to the Chinese foreign ministry’s consular department.
China’s tourism ministry reported a 79% year-on-year increase in inbound tourists dring the first three quarters of 2024, totaling 94.6 million visitors.
“Since the beginning of this year, the number of international passenger flights has steadily increased, surpassing 6,000 flights per week during the summer, achieving over 80% of the annual target,” said Shang Kejia, deputy director general of the department of air transport.
Improving the Visitor Experience
Beyond visa policies, China has also been working to simplify travel procedures and improving the visitor experience. “We have introduced a new version of the Chinese visa application form, optimizing and simplifying 34% of the items, significantly reducing the time required to complete the form,” said Gu Hui, the minister counselor of the consular department of China’s foreign ministry.
Kejia said the next step is to enhance comprehensive service counters at major international airports, offering “one-stop services” for foreigners, including cultural tourism, payment, transportation, and communication services.
“We will support airlines, airports, local governments, and tourism enterprises in building platforms, sharing resources, and promoting regional cultural tourism,” Kejia said.
Payment systems have also been modernized to cater to inbound tourists. The People’s Bank of China has rolled out multilingual payment guides and increased the acceptance of foreign bank cards at major tourist spots.
Simplifying Payments
In October, offline transactions surged 184% while amounts with foreign bank cards went up 150%, compared to February. Over 2.9 million inbound visitors used mobile payments, with the transaction volume tripling that of February, according to Yang Qing, deputy director general of the payment and settlement department of the People’s Bank of China.
Alipay on Tuesday announced the launch of a China Travel Voucher Pack for international travelers in collaboration with partners including Fliggy and DiDi, as part of the tourism ministry’s Nihao! China Tourism Partnership Program.
Alipay’s China Travel Voucher Pack provides each inbound tourist special offers worth RMB 200 ($28), redeemable on flights, hotels, train travel, and shopping.
Earlier this year, Ant Group and its partners launched the International Consumer Friendly Zones program in Beijing to make digital payment more accessible for international travelers. The program has since expanded to 70 cities and 500 tourist attractions.
From January to September 2024, China’s travel services imports and exports totaled CNY 1,505.28 billion ($208 billion), a 43% year-on-year increase. Travel services exports (mainly inbound tourism) reached CNY 177.3 billion ($24.5 billion), up 149% year-on-year, according to China’s commerce ministry.
