China announced on Tuesday that it is broadening its visa-free transit policy, allowing American travelers and other eligible international visitors to stay in certain parts of the country for up to 240 hours, or 10 days. The change comes as part of efforts to attract more foreign visitors.
The National Immigration Agency of China revealed the update through its WeChat account, stating that passport holders from 54 countries are now eligible for this new policy. These countries include nations from Europe, Latin America, and Asia, as well as the United States and Canada.
Under the previous rules, travelers could stay in China without a visa for periods ranging from 72 to 144 hours, depending on the specific region, as long as they continued their journey to another country or region.
With this expansion, travelers who have confirmed departure tickets within 10 days can enter China through 60 designated entry points across 24 provinces, including major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The new policy also allows for movement between regions during the 10-day period, although some restrictions still apply. This visa-free transit option is especially popular with travelers from the U.S., who might otherwise face a complex visa application process.
China, as the world’s second-largest economy, is actively working to revive international tourism after three years of pandemic-related isolation. In recent months, the country has progressively relaxed its visa policies. Passport holders from 38 countries are now able to stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa, for purposes like tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, or transit. These countries include France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and even Japan, despite historical tensions. However, the United States is not included in this group.
The immigration agency reported in October that the number of foreign visitors to China had surged by nearly 50% year-on-year, with visa-free entries increasing by almost 80%. Additionally, last month, the U.S. State Department lowered its travel advisory for China from Level 3 (reconsider travel) to Level 2 (exercise increased caution), aligning it with travel warnings for countries like France and Germany.
This shift followed the Biden administration’s announcement that it had successfully secured the release of three Americans who had been detained in China for years. The previous Level 3 advisory had highlighted the risk of “wrongful detentions” in China, where Americans make up the largest group of foreign nationals detained. According to the Dui Hua Foundation, an advocacy organization, China has more detained Americans than any other country.
Two of these Americans, Kai Li and Mark Swidan, were officially recognized by the State Department as wrongfully detained, and they were released in November. The third, David Lin, had been imprisoned for nearly 20 years before being freed in September.
The updated advisory no longer mentions wrongful detentions but still cautions about the “arbitrary enforcement of local laws,” particularly concerning exit bans.
Beijing hopes that the revised U.S. travel advisory will encourage more academic and cultural exchanges between the two countries, which have significantly declined due to pandemic restrictions and growing geopolitical tensions.