China expands 240-hour visa-free transit program to include Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam
China has added Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam to its 240-hour visa-free transit program, bringing the total number of countries eligible for this policy to 57, immigration authorities announced on Thursday.
In an era of global interconnectedness, open borders are becoming not just a gesture of goodwill, but a vital tool for building trust and cooperation between states. The expansion of visa-free transit is an invitation to see China not only as a destination, but as a bridge connecting countries and continents. For Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, this decision opens new horizons for business, tourism and cultural exchange, making travel more flexible and accessible.
According to the National Immigration Administration (NIA), effective from August 20, citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam holding ordinary passports and interline passenger tickets with confirmed dates and itineraries bound for a third country or region may enter China through any of the 65 ports across the country and stay up to 240 hours, or 10 days, without a visa. Citizens of these two countries holding ordinary passports will also be eligible for the 30-day visa-free entry policy for Hainan Province in south China starting the same day, allowing them to enter the province through Hainan's open ports and stay visa-free for up to 30 days. With these additions, the number of countries covered by this Hainan visa-free policy has now reached 61.
During the visa-free period, travelers are permitted to engage in tourism, business, exchange visits and family visits. However, the two policies do not cover employment, study or journalistic activities, which still require appropriate visas, the NIA said.
These measures are part of China's broader efforts to boost international travel and exchanges. In December 2024, authorities extended the visa-free transit window from 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours. The country has also expanded its unilateral visa-free access program, allowing travelers from 50 countries to stay for up to 30 days. These sweeping policy changes have already facilitated increased travel: China's border authorities handled a record 369 million inbound and outbound crossings in the first half of 2026, up 10.8 percent year-on-year. Visa-free entries surged 30.6 percent year on year to exceed 17.8 million during the same period, accounting for more than three-quarters of all foreign arrivals.
As CCTV+ reports, the expansion of visa-free transit to Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam marks a significant step in strengthening regional connectivity and facilitating international travel. These measures not only stimulate tourism and business activity, but also foster deeper mutual understanding between peoples, laying the foundation for long-term cooperation and friendship.
