- China's National Immigration Administration announced a new transit visa-free policy for citizens of two countries
- The policy allows eligible travellers to pass through 65 designated Chinese ports for up to 240 hours without a visa
- To qualify, travellers must hold a valid ordinary passport and carry a confirmed onwards ticket to a third country
China has removed transit visa requirements for Vietnamese citizens, allowing them to pass through the country for up to 10 days without applying for a visa.
China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced the policy on August 20, 2026, extending the same benefit to citizens of Kyrgyzstan. Under the new rules, qualifying travellers can transit through 65 designated entry and exit ports across China for up to 240 hours and enter Hainan Province visa-free for 30 days.
Source: UGC
China: Who qualifies and what is allowed
To be eligible, travellers must hold a valid ordinary passport and possess a confirmed connecting ticket showing a departure date and itinerary to a third country or region. The 65 ports covered by the policy include major transport hubs in Beijing and Shanghai.
During their stay, travellers are permitted to move within specified administrative areas and take part in short-term activities such as tourism, business trips, and visits to friends or relatives.
The NIA said the policy is designed to promote high-level openness, deepen cooperation and trust with neighbouring countries, and make it easier for people to travel, trade, and invest across borders.
Vietnam a major tourist source for China
The new transit arrangement builds on earlier visa measures China introduced for Vietnamese travellers. Since April 2026, Vietnamese nationals have been able to fly directly to Guilin without a visa, and Xishuangbanna has offered visa-free entry to Vietnamese tour groups.
Vietnam's growing importance to China's tourism sector provides additional context for the announcement. NIA data released on July 13 showed that Vietnam ranked as China's fourth-largest tourist source market in the first half of 2026, overtaking established markets including the United States, Japan, and Australia.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that China released a list of 50 countries whose citizens can visit visa-free for 30 days.
Philippines: Conditions for 14 days visa-free entry
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Philippines announced a 14-day visa-free entry privilege for Chinese nationals travelling for tourism or business, including the documents visitors must provide.
The policy took effect on January 16, 2026, and is due to last a year. But travellers in transit to a third country still need a Philippine transit visa.
Source: Legit.ng