Announcement of the National Immigration Administration on Further Relaxing and Optimizing the Visa-Free Transit Policy for Foreigners

要点解读 Key Points

中文导读

《国家移民管理局关于进一步放宽优化外国人过境免签政策的公告》（国家移民管理局公告2024年第12号）经报国务院批准，由国家移民管理局于2024年12月17日发布并自即日起施行。公告将外国人过境免签停留时间由原72小时和144小时统一延长为240小时（10天），新增21个适用口岸和5个适用省份，并扩大多个省份的停留活动区域，是现行过境免签政策的直接依据。

• 停留时间延长至240小时（公告第一条）：过境免签外国人在境内停留时间由原72小时和144小时均延长为240小时（10天）。
• 适用口岸增至60个（公告第二条）：新增山西太原武宿、江苏苏南硕放与扬州泰州、浙江温州龙湾与义乌、安徽合肥新桥与黄山屯溪、福建福州长乐、泉州晋江与武夷山、江西南昌昌北、山东济南遥墙、烟台蓬莱与威海大水泊、湖南张家界荷花、广西南宁吴圩与北海福成、海南海口美兰与三亚凤凰、四川成都天府、贵州贵阳龙洞堡等21个口岸，适用口岸由原39个增加至60个（名单见公告附件1）。
• 适用省份增至24个、可跨省旅行（公告第三条）：适用省份由原19个增加山西、安徽、江西、海南、贵州5省，共24个省（区、市）。新增省份中安徽、海南、贵州停留活动区域为全省，山西为太原、大同两市，江西为南昌、景德镇两市；福建、湖北、陕西停留活动区域扩大至全省，广西扩大至南宁、柳州、桂林等12市。过境免签人员可在上述24个省（区、市）的允许区域内跨省域旅行、自行安排行程。
• 适用对象与入境条件（公告正文）：适用国家的公民（共54国，见公告附件2）持有效国际旅行证件和确定日期及座位的联程客票，从中国过境前往第三国（地区）的，可从60个口岸中任一口岸免签入境，在规定区域停留活动不超过240小时；符合与我国签署互免签证协定或我单方面免签政策的，可从其规定。
• 停留期间可从事的活动（公告正文）：过境免签来华人员停留期间可从事旅游、商务、访问、探亲等活动；工作、学习、新闻采访等需事先批准的活动，仍应办妥签证方能来华。

English Key Points

The Announcement of the National Immigration Administration on Further Relaxing and Optimizing the Visa-Free Transit Policy for Foreigners (NIA Announcement No. 12 of 2024) was issued on December 17, 2024 with the approval of the State Council and took effect immediately. It unified the visa-free transit stay — previously 72 or 144 hours depending on the port — at 240 hours (10 days), added 21 eligible ports of entry and five eligible provinces, and widened the permitted areas of stay in several provinces. It is the operative document behind China's current 240-hour visa-free transit policy.

• Stay extended to 240 hours (Item I): The permitted stay for foreigners under the visa-free transit policy is extended from the original 72 hours and 144 hours to 240 hours (10 days).
• Eligible ports increased to 60 (Item II): Twenty-one airports are added, including Taiyuan Wusu in Shanxi; Sunan Shuofang and Yangzhou Taizhou in Jiangsu; Wenzhou Longwan and Yiwu in Zhejiang; Hefei Xinqiao and Huangshan Tunxi in Anhui; Fuzhou Changle, Quanzhou Jinjiang and Wuyishan in Fujian; Nanchang Changbei in Jiangxi; Jinan Yaoqiang, Yantai Penglai and Weihai Dashuipo in Shandong; Zhangjiajie Hehua in Hunan; Nanning Wuxu and Beihai Fucheng in Guangxi; Haikou Meilan and Sanya Phoenix in Hainan; Chengdu Tianfu in Sichuan; and Guiyang Longdongbao in Guizhou — bringing the total from 39 to 60
• Eligible provinces increased to 24, with cross-province travel (Item III): Five provinces — Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hainan and Guizhou — are added to the original 19, for a total of 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). In the new provinces the permitted area covers the whole of Anhui, Hainan and Guizhou; Taiyuan and Datong in Shanxi; and Nanchang and Jingdezhen in Jiangxi. Fujian, Hubei and Shaanxi are expanded to their whole provinces, and Guangxi to 12 cities including Nanning, Liuzhou and Guilin. Visa-free transit travelers may travel across provincial boundaries within the
• Who qualifies and on what conditions (main text): Citizens of the 54 eligible countries (Annex 2) holding valid international travel documents and connecting tickets with confirmed dates and seats, transiting through China to a third country (or region), may enter visa-free through any of the 60 ports and stay within the prescribed areas for no more than 240 hours. Persons covered by a mutual visa-exemption agreement with China or by China's unilateral visa-free policies may follow those provisions instead.
• Permitted activities during the stay (main text): Persons entering under the visa-free transit policy may engage in tourism, business, visits, family visits and similar activities. Activities requiring prior approval — such as work, study and news reporting — still require a proper visa obtained before coming to China.

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This summary is based on the published text and is for reference only; it does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific case.