Foreign tourists pose for photos at Temple of Heaven in Beijing, capital of China. The Temple of Heaven became a popular tourist spot for foreign visitors during the Labour Day holiday.

China records 13.64 million visa-free entries by foreign nationals in H1 2025

(Global Times/BRNN) -- China processed a total of 333 million border crossings in the first half of 2025, up 15.8 percent year-on-year. Of these, foreign nationals accounted for 38.053 million crossings, marking a 30.2 percent increase year-on-year, China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced Wednesday.
Of these trips, foreign nationals made 13.64 million entries to China visa-free, accounting for 71.2 percent of all foreign entries and representing a year-on-year increase of 53.9 percent, according to the NIA, following measures such as the further expansion of visa-free policies.
In the first half of the year, China introduced and implemented a visa-free policy for tour groups from ASEAN countries entering Xishuangbanna, Southwest China’s Yunnan province. Indonesia was newly added to the list of countries eligible for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy.
The NIA, in coordination with relevant authorities, actively promoted the facilitation of payments, accommodation, and transportation for foreign nationals, effectively boosting cross-border travel and economic cooperation.
An increasing number of foreign nationals can now enter China without a visa, thanks to the country’s expanding visa-free policies. As of July 16, the number of countries eligible for China’s unilateral visa exemption has expanded to 47, and those eligible for transit visa exemption have increased to 55.

(Latest Update July 17, 2025)