China News Service, Shanghai, March 15 (Chen Jing, Fan Hongxiang, Shi Mingming) Since the beginning of this year, with the launch of a series of customs clearance facilitation policies by the National Immigration Administration, the number of foreigners coming to China for business negotiations, cultural exchanges, and tourism has increased significantly.
Reporters learned on the 15th that data show that since 2024, the number of foreigners entering through the Pudong International Airport port has exceeded 520,000, five times that of the same period last year.
Statistics disclosed by the Shanghai Airport Border Inspection Station on the 15th showed that on March 11, the number of foreign arrivals at the Pudong International Airport port reached 12,700, accounting for 1/3 of the total number of arrivals on that day. This is the highest number of foreign arrivals at this port in the past four years. The most crowded day.
After the China-Thailand Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement officially came into effect on the 1st of this month, China’s visa-free “circle of friends” has expanded again.
Starting from the 14th, China will trial a visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from six countries: Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
The Shanghai Airport Border Inspection Station stated that on March 14, 147 passengers from six countries entered the port through the Pudong International Airport, and more than 40% of the passengers entered the country without a visa. With the blessing of the new policy, all passengers from the six countries entering the port that day were more than before. An increase of 45% in one day.
"I came to Shanghai on a temporary business trip. I saw relevant reports on visa exemption in the early stage, so I immediately booked a flight ticket to China." On the first day of the new policy, Christian from Austria was full of praise for the new policy. There is no need to apply for a visa. He is very grateful to his colleagues who often come to China. Convenience and worry-free.
Optimizing the visa policy is an important measure to serve high-quality development and high-level opening up to the outside world. It has greatly promoted personnel exchanges and business communication, enabled people who want to engage in cross-border cooperation and investment to "come whenever they want", and enhanced the international community's understanding of China. confidence in the investment environment.
The police are handling border inspection procedures for visa-free entry passengers.
(Photo by Wei Wenheng)
It is reported that according to relevant arrangements, from March 14 to November 30, 2024, ordinary passport holders from Switzerland and other six countries who come to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days can enter China without a visa.
People from the above-mentioned countries who do not meet the conditions for visa exemption still need to apply for a visa before entering China.
In response to the continued increase in incoming foreign passengers, the Shanghai Airport Border Inspection Station has fully implemented the National Immigration Administration's series of "visa-free + application-free" policies, continuously optimized the business environment at the Pudong International Airport port, and supported airlines in piloting the use of electronic boarding. signs, add a transit area, strengthen pre-guidance for foreigners’ customs clearance and information collection, increase the deployment of police on duty, and strengthen the promotion of convenient policies, and strive to solve the problems of stuck points and blockages in the customs clearance process for inbound and outbound passengers, and actively provide services for inbound and outbound passengers. It provides expats in China with convenient customs clearance and continues to promote high-level opening up to the outside world.
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