China unveils 10 new immigration and exit-entry policy initiatives to boost regional mobility and development

閱讀中文版本

The new measures aim to enhance mobility across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan; and facilitate travel for foreign visitors to China.

China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced 10 new immigration and exit-entry management service policy initiatives, with six set to take effect on Wednesday, 5 November 2025.

Key measures effective 5 November 2025

1. Expand pilot scope of talent endorsement policy

In addition to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the talent endorsement policy will be extended to the entire Yangtze River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions, as well as all pilot free trade zones nationwide.

With relevant certification to be issued by competent talent authorities, eligible employers and other relevant entities, outstanding talents, scientific research talents, cultural and educational talents, healthcare and medical talents, legal talents, and other talents working in the area mentioned above, may apply for a multiple-exit-entry talent endorsement. This allows travel to and from Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR with a validity period ranging from one to five years, with each stay of no more than 30 days.

2. Nationwide acceptance of family visit endorsement applications for Mainland residents travelling to and from Taiwan region

Mainland residents planning to travel to and from the Taiwan region for family visits can submit applications for family visit endorsements to any exit-entry administration authorities representing public security units above the county level. Application procedures will follow the standards of the applicant’s registered domicile.

3. Rollout of intelligent exit-entry clearance at some ports open for navigation and passage with Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions

In addition to Shenzhen Bay Port in Shenzhen and Gongbei Port in Zhuhai, the facial recognition intelligent exit-entry clearance function will be extended to:

• Shanghai: Hongqiao International Airport
  
• Xiamen: Gaoqi International Airport, Wutong Port
  
• Guangzhou: Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Nansha Passenger Port
  
• Shenzhen: Huanggang, Luohu, Liantang, Futian, Wenjindu Ports
  
• Zhuhai: Hengqin Port, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port

Individuals aged 14 and above who meet the following criteria may choose to go through the intelligent fast lanes in the ports mentioned above through facial recognition:

• Mainland residents with valid Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao and multiple-exit-entry endorsements of stay, family visit, business, talent, and other types
• Hong Kong and Macao residents with valid Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (including non-Chinese citizens)
• Taiwan residents with five-year valid Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents
• Individuals agree to have their facial and fingerprint information collected and verified

Individuals with limited or no capacity for civil conduct should be accompanied by a legal guardian when doing exit-entry procedure through the intelligent fast lane.

4. Enhanced cross-border flow of production factors within the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (HTCZ-SZ)

The following convenience measures will be implemented in HTCZ-SZ:

• Mainland talents working in scientific research institutes, technology innovation enterprises, and other institutions in the Cooperation zone, after being filed with the Shenzhen Park administrative department of the Cooperation Zone, may receive a three-year multiple-entry talent endorsement for travelling to and from Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR without needing to submit talent certificates during the application process.
• Emerging and start-up enterprises are permitted to file for business travel to and from Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR with tax exemption in their first year of operation. Preferential treatment will be given to key enterprises and institutions in high-tech, advanced manufacturing and other sectors engaging in business travel to and from Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR.
• Dedicated channels for the Cooperative Zone are set up at Huanggang and Futian Ports to facilitate frequent travel. Reservation-based exit-entry clearance services will be available for personnel who need to urgently enter or exit the Cooperation Zone due to major projects, important events or other reasons.
• Green channels will be set up for vehicles transporting scientific research materials to and from the Cooperation Zone. Inspection procedures will be optimised to improve the clearance efficiency.

5. Expanded exemption from immigration inspection procedures for 24-hour visa-free direct transit at additional airports

The 24-hour visa-free direct transit policy will be extended to 10 international airports, namely:

• Tianjin Binhai International Airport
• Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport
• Nanjing Lukou International Airport
• Fuzhou Changle International Airport
• Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport
• Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
• Nanning Wuxu International Airport
• Haikou Meilan International Airport
• Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
• Kunming Changshui International Airport

Individuals with international interline tickets transiting to a third country (region) within 24 hours through any of the aforementioned airports without leaving the airport may be exempted from immigration inspection procedures.

6. Five additional entry ports for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy in Guangdong Province

Five ports will be added as entry ports for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, increasing the total number of the applicable entry port from 60 to 65. The newly added ports are:

• Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal
• Hengqin Port
• Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port
• Zhongshan Port (Passenger)
• West Kowloon Station Port of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link

Eligible travellers from 55 countries may enter China visa-free from any of the 65 ports in the 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) when travelling from China to a third country (region), and stay within the allowed areas for no more than 240 hours. The visa-free stay period will be calculated from 0:00 on the day following the day of entry.

Eligibility criteria for travellers:

• hold a valid international travel document (with a validity of at least three months)
• hold interline tickets to a third country(region) with confirmed arrangement and departure dates within 240 hours, or other proof documents
• fill in the ‘Arrival Card for Temporary Entry Foreigners’
• cooperate with immigration inspections

Eligible countries include:

• Europe (40 countries): Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
  
• Americas (6 countries): Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, the United States
  
• Oceania (2 countries): Australia, New Zealand
  
• Asia (7 countries): Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates

During their stay, travellers may engage in tourism, business, visiting, family visits, and other activities, while activities such as work, study, and news reporting that require prior approval should be carried out with the necessary visas applied for in advance. The above are subject to the relevant provisions, if applicable, to mutual visa exemption agreements signed with China or China’s unilateral visa exemption.

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Measures effective 20 November 2025

7. Expansion of pilot cities for ‘fully online-processing’ of exit-entry documents' renewal and reissuance for Mainland residents

The number of pilot cities will be increased from 20 to 50. Registered residents above 16 years old (except for registered state functionaries and active-duty military personnel) of the pilot cities may apply online via NIA’s government service platform for the renewal or reissuance of:

• Ordinary passport
• Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao
• Exit-Entry Permit for Mainland Residents Travelling to and from Taiwan

The 30 newly added pilot cities are as follows:

• Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province
• Taiyuan in Shanxi Province
• Hohhot in Nei Mongol Autonomous Region
• Dalian in Liaoning Province
• Changchun in Jilin Province
• Wuxi, Xuzhou, Changzhou, and Suzhou in Jiangsu Province
• Huzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, and Jinhua in Zhejiang Province
• Nanchang in Jiangxi Province
• Yantai and Weifang in Shandong Province
• Wuhan in Hubei Province
• Changsha in Hunan Province
• Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province
• Nanning and Guilin in Guangxi Province
• Haikou in Hainan Province
• Guiyang in Guizhou Province
• Lanzhou in Gansu Province
• Yinchuan in Ningxia Province

8. Convenient renewal of family visit endorsements for Mainland residents travelling to and from Hong Kong or Macao SAR

Mainland residents travelling to and from Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR with family visit endorsements may apply for the renewal of the same type of endorsement in the SARs through China Travel Service (Holdings) Hong Kong Limited and China Travel Service (Macao) Ltd. before expiration, if the allowed stay period of the endorsement is insufficient for their continued stay.

Renewal applications should be submitted in advance for no less than seven working days before the expiration of the stay period.

9. Expanded scope of ports issuing single-entry Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents

The number of ports eligible for issuing single-entry Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents will be increased from 58 to 100.

Taiwan residents arriving at the ports without valid travel document for entering and exiting the mainland may apply to the exit-entry administration authorities of public security organs at the port for the single-entry Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, and may obtain the document and enter upon approval.

The list of 42 newly-added ports are as follows:

• Tianjin Port
• Manzhouli (airport)
• Manzhouli (highway)
• Erenhot (railway)
• Erenhot (highway)
• Dandong Port
• Yingkou Port
• Hunchun (highway)
• Heihe (waterway port)
• Tongjiang (waterway port)
• Fuyuan Port
• Raohe Port
• Luobei Port
• Dongning
• Suifenhe (highway)
• Lianyugang Port
• Yantai Port
• Rizhao Port
• Weihai Port
• Shidao Port
• Longyan Port
• Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal
• Shekou Port
• Huanggang
• Luohu
• Zhuhai Port
• Hengqin
• Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
• Gongbei
• Zhongshan Port
• Shantou Port
• Jieyang Chaoshan Airport
• Youyiguan
• Dongxing
• Lijiang Sanyi Airport
• Mohan (railway)
• Mohan (highway)
• Hekou (highway)
• Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport
• Dunhuang Mogao Airport
• Kashi Laining Airport
• Khorgos (highway)

10. Implementation of online Arrival Card submission for foreign nationals

Foreigners may fill in the relevant entry information online before coming to China through:

• NIA’s official website
• Government Service Platform
• ‘NIA 12367’ mobile app
• WeChat or Alipay mini programmes
• QR code scanning via mobile phones

Foreigners who cannot file the information online in advance may complete the process upon arriving at the immigration inspection site in the ports of China by:

• scanning the QR code with mobile phone,
• using the smart devices at the port to fill in the entry information online, or
• filling in the paper Arrival Card

The following seven types of foreigners may be exempted from filling in the Arrival Card:

• Holders of the People’s Republic of China Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card
• Holders of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens)
• Individuals entering on a group visa or eligible for group visa-free entry
• Travellers transiting directly without leaving the restricted area of the port
• Individuals entering and exiting with the same cruise ship
• Travellers entering through fast lanes
• Foreign employees of exit-entry transport vehicles