Visa-Free Transit Policies

Xiamen's 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy for International Visitors

Starting December 1st, China has implemented a unilateral visa exemption policy for ordinary passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. During the period from December 1st, 2023, to November 30th, 2024, travelers from these six countries visiting China for business, tourism, family visits, or transit for up to 15 days can enjoy visa-free entry.

Besides, foreigners who wish to visit Xiamen for business exchange or leisurely tourism can take advantage of a hassle-free 144-hour transit visa-free policy, which is incredibly convenient. This policy is currently applicable to citizens from 54 different countries.

Xiamen, designated as one of the "International Comprehensive Transportation Hubs" by the government, boasts top-notch and efficient sea, land, and air ports, along with cruise ship terminals. It holds a significant position as a hub for international interactions and exchanges.

Since April 1, 2015, Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport has been implementing a 72-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners from certain countries. Starting from January 1, 2019, Xiamen officially introduced a 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreigners from select countries. This policy allows transit visa-free entry and exit through both air and sea ports, expanding the options to include ports such as Gaoqi Airport, Wutong, and Xiamen International Cruise Center. The duration of stay has been extended from 72 hours to 144 hours. In other words, foreigners from eligible countries who possess a valid international travel document and a 144-hour determination of the date and seat of the interline ticket to a third country (region) can now choose to enter and exit through any of the mentioned ports. This policy applies to the entire administrative region of Xiamen.

This policy saves time and effort when it comes to applying for a visa, making the journey more enjoyable and rewarding. Let's take Katherine, an American traveler, as an example. She was on her way from Korea to Australia and had a desire to visit Xiamen, China, during her trip. Instead of going through the hassle of applying for a Chinese visa beforehand, she can now stay in Xiamen for up to six days, thanks to the 144-hour transit visa-free policy. This allows her to explore famous attractions like Gulangyu Island, Nanputuo Temple, and Jimei School Village.

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced that starting from November 17, 2023, Chinese authorities will be implementing a visa-free transit policy for Norwegian citizens, allowing them to stay in China for either 72 or 144 hours without a visa. This expansion means that the number of countries eligible for China's 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy has now reached 54.

Foreign nationals from 54 countries are currently eligible for the 72/144-hour transit visa-free policies which are effective at 31 ports in 23 cities of 18 provinces in China. These countries include Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Passengers from these countries holding valid international travel documents and interline tickets with confirmed dates and seats, who are going to transit to third countries (or regions) via China within specific time frames, can apply for visa-free transit at the entry/exit border inspection authorities in the designated visa-free transit city ports. The authorities will handle all temporary entry procedures, with the duration of stay of each passenger to be calculated from 00:00 on the day following entry.

Below is a list of China's city ports implementing in the 72/144-hour transit visa-free policies: