China improves visa conditions: everything you need to know about Port e-Visa and 144-hour visa-free transit

China continues to introduce modern approaches to its visa policy, opening up new opportunities for international citizens. Let us consider the key changes in this direction.

In July 2024, China introduced a new electronic visa system called Port e-Visa, designed to simplify the entry process for foreign nationals invited for business, tourism or professional purposes. At first, the program was only available for the Lingang Special Zone in Shanghai, but on October 25, 2024, it was expanded to cover the entire Pudong New Area. This expansion was an important step in China's efforts to digitalize visa procedures, facilitating access to one of the country's most innovative economic zones.

The Port e-Visa is a digital version of the traditional paper visa that allows registered Chinese companies to apply for visas for their international partners and visitors online. The approved visa is valid for 15 days for single entry and allows foreign nationals to stay in the country for up to 30 days.

To obtain a Port e-Visa registered companies apply for a visa on the website of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau. Once the request is processed and the visa is issued, organizations can download a PDF file of the confirmation that is sent to the applicant. This document can be printed or saved on electronic devices and used to enter and exit any international port in Shanghai.

In the future, the Port e-Visa system may be extended to other regions of China, providing even more options for international visitors.

In December 2019, China introduced 144-hour visa-free transit for citizens of 54 countries, making it much easier for many foreign nationals to visit the country. The policy has now been expanded to cover new points of entry, making travel to China even more accessible.

With the recent changes, the visa-free transit program is in effect at Zhengzhou Airport in Henan Province, Lijiang Sanya International Airport, Mohan Railway Port and Kunming Changshui International Airport in Yunnan Province. In addition, more cities in Kunming such as Lijiang, Yuxi, Pu'er, Chusyun, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe and Wenshan have been added to the list . As a result, the visa-free transit policy now covers 37 ports of entry in China.

The 144-hour visa-free transit policy allows foreign visitors to stay in certain areas of China for a limited time without having to apply for a visa. The period of stay begins to run from 00:00 the day after arrival. During the period of stay, these visitors are allowed to engage in tourism, business and personal activities. It is important to note that visa-free transit does not authorize work, study or other purposes that require a visa corresponding to the purpose of entry.

However, it is worth noting that in order to take advantage of visa-free transit, visitors must have an intended route to a third country after leaving China. This condition is important to comply with program rules and ensure the legality of the stay.

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