24/01/2024
Five New Measures to Facilitate Entries of Foreigners
The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has officially implemented five measures on January 11, aimed at simplifying the process for foreign nationals seeking to visit China. The measures are designed to make business activities, education, and tours in China more accessible for foreign nationals. The measures will further eliminate hurdles related to doing business, studying, and traveling in China and better serve China's high-level opening up and high-quality development.
The first measure has relaxed conditions for foreign nationals applying for port visas. Any individual seeking to visit China for non-diplomatic, official business activities, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, private affairs, or to visit relatives and unable to obtain a visa beforehand due to time constraints may now apply for a port visa at a port visa authority with an invitation letter and other accompanying documents.
The second measure relieves foreign nationals eligible for 24-hour visa-free transit at major hub airports such as Beijing Capital International Airport from the need to undergo inspection procedures. Foreign nationals eligible for the 24-hour visa-free transit policy are exempt from border inspection at nine international airports in China: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, and Xi'an Xianyang International Airport. Individuals with international interline tickets transiting to third countries and regions within 24 hours through any of the aforementioned airports may enjoy visa-free direct transit without border inspection procedures.
The third measure allows foreign nationals already in China to apply for visa extension, renewal, and reissuance at the nearest public security organs. Individuals in China for short-term non-diplomatic, official business activities, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, private matters, tourism, or to visit relatives with legitimate reasons for extending their stays may now submit applications to the nearest exit-entry administrations of the public security organs located in the places where they stay.
The fourth measure allows every foreign national already in China to apply for a multiple-entry visa in cases of need. Each foreigner already in China requiring a multiple-entry visa for legitimate reasons may now apply to an exit-entry administration of a public security organ with an invitation letter and other accompanying documents.
The fifth one minimizes the types of the materials for visa applications for foreign nationals in China. Foreign nationals whose accommodation registration records, business licenses, and other information can be checked through the shared information systems are now exempt from having to present the physical certificates when applying for visas. Also, when applying for a visa for short-term family visits or reunions with relatives in China, a declaration of kinship may be used in place of the formal kinship certificate.
According to an official from NIA, as China's economic development is experiencing continued recovery and growth, and the country embraces greater openness, new demands have been emerging on the part of domestic and overseas enterprises and individuals, and immigration management services will have to keep pace with the changes. NIA is committed to working with the relevant authorities to address the difficulties foreign nationals may encounter when doing business, studying, and traveling in China, and strengthening the reform of the immigration management services and innovation of policies and systems. Currently, NIA is moving forward with the institutional opening-up, contributing to the establishment of a top-notch business environment, and taking the initiative to serve and support the development of a new pattern of growth.
