China’s National Immigration Administration published five measures to facilitate foreigners' visits to China, which is implemented from January 11, 2024. It aims to further facilitate cross-border people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign countries, and serve the country's high-quality development and opening-up.

1.Relax the requirements for foreigners coming to China to apply for visas at ports of entry.

For foreign personnel who urgently need to come to China for non-diplomatic or official activities such as business cooperation, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, and handling personal affairs, if they cannot complete their visas overseas in time, they can apply for a port visa from the port visa authority with relevant proof materials such as invitation letters before entering China.

2. Foreigners 24-hour exempt from Customs Inspection in 9 airports.

At Beijing Capital Airport, Beijing Daxing Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, Xiamen Gaoqi Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an Airport, Chengdu Tianfu Airport, Xi'an Xianyang Airport, the above nine international airports, 24-hour direct transit passengers are exempt from border inspection procedures. For inbound and outbound passengers who hold international connecting tickets within 24 hours and transit through any of the above-mentioned airports to a third country or region, they are exempt from border inspection procedures and can directly pass through without a visa.

3. Foreigners can apply for visa extension, replacement and reissuance nearby.
Foreigners who come to China for short-term non-diplomatic or official activities such as business cooperation, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship, visiting relatives, sightseeing and tourism, and handling personal affairs, and have legitimate and reasonable reasons to continue staying in China, may apply for visa extension, replacement, and reissuance from the nearest public security exit and entry management agency in the place of stay.

4. Foreigners who need to enter & exit multiple times can apply for re-entry visas.
Foreign nationals in China who need to enter and exit the country multiple times due to legitimate and reasonable reasons may apply to the public security exit and entry management agency for a valid multiple entry visa with relevant proof materials such as invitation letters.

5. Simplify the application materials for visas and documents for foreigners in China.
When applying for visa documents, foreigners who can query their accommodation registration records, business licenses and other information through information sharing can be exempted from inspection of relevant paper certification materials; Foreigners in China who apply for short-term family visit and reunion visas may invite a declaration of family relationship instead of a proof of family relationship.