China expands 240-hour visa-free transit to Vietnamese citizens

Under a notice from China's National Immigration Administration, Vietnamese citizens can enter China without a visa through 65 designated ports, including Beijing and Shanghai.

To qualify, travelers must hold an ordinary passport, have a confirmed onward ticket and itinerary, and be transiting to a third country or region. 

Their stay in designated areas cannot exceed 240 hours.

Separately, Vietnamese citizens holding ordinary passports can enter Hainan through its open ports and stay within the province's administrative area for up to 30 days without a visa.

During their visa-free stay under either policy, travelers may engage in short-term activities including tourism, business visits and family visits.

However, activities requiring prior approval, including employment, study and journalism, still require travelers to obtain a visa before entering China.

Besides Vietnam, citizens of Kyrgyzstan are also eligible for the same visa-free policies starting Thursday.

As of August 20, citizens of 57 countries and territories are eligible for China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, while citizens of 61 countries and territories can enter Hainan province visa-free for up to 30 days.

China's National Immigration Administration said extending the visa-free policy to include Vietnamese and Kyrgyz citizens is a practical measure to further open the country to the outside world.

The policy is expected to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation while facilitating tourism, trade, and investment.

The administration said it would continue to balance development with security, maintain an orderly immigration management system, and promote people-to-people exchanges and international cooperation as part of China's broader efforts to expand high-level opening-up and pursue high-quality development.