In November 2025, the China Exit and Entry Administration promulgated a new measure concerning overseas Chinese! China has officially implemented a 240-hour transit visa-free policy for 55 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia, and has simultaneously launched the "electronic entry card" function to make customs clearance procedures more convenient and efficient.
To put it simply, in the future, foreign Chinese/foreigners can fill in the entry information online through the official government website, platform, WeChat/Alipay mini program, before entering China! More convenient than before.
The original text is as follows:
Starting from November 20, 2025, foreigners can fill in relevant information online through the government website of the National Immigration Administration of China, government service platform, the "Immigration Bureau 12367" APP, WeChat (Alipay) mini program, and mobile phone scanning the entry card filling code. For foreigners who do not have the conditions to fill in the online application, they can scan the QR code through their mobile phones or use on-site smart devices to fill in the entry information online, or fill in the paper foreigner entry card when they arrive at the entry and exit border inspection site of the Chinese port.
Foreigners are exempt from filling in the following 7 situations:
Foreign employees holding permanent residence ID cards for foreigners of the People's Republic of China, holding mainland travel permits for Hong Kong and Macao residents (non-Chinese nationals), group visas, or group visa-free entry for 24 hours without leaving the port restricted area, taking cruise ships to enter and exit, and returning to the fast lane with the original cruise ship.
According to the latest entry and exit policies, passengers from 55 countries, including the United States, can stay visa-free at 65 ports including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou for up to 10 days (240 hours) as long as they meet the transit conditions (with a valid passport and a connecting ticket to a third country).
But please note that this "visa-free" is "transit visa-free", not "visa-free to return directly to China" - you must have a third-country air ticket to enjoy, such as: Los Angeles, ✈️ ✅ Shanghai ✈️, Singapore (yes) Los ❌ Angeles ✈️ Shanghai ✈️ Los Angeles (no).
The policy covers 65 ports including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and eligible passengers can stay visa-free for 10 days.
For details, please click on the original announcement:
