Beijing leads way in improving entry policies as visa-free travel burgeons

China continues to expand its visa-free travel options, resulting in a growing number of foreign arrivals.

Immigration authorities across the country are rolling out ways to streamline the customs process and accommodate the increase in travelers, aiming to make a more convenient experience.

During the May Day holiday, border inspection authorities nationwide processed more than 11 million cross-border trips by Chinese and foreign nationals, averaging 2.26 million trips a day, up 3.5 percent year-on-year, according to the National Immigration Administration.

China currently grants unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 50 countries, has mutual visa-free arrangements with 29 countries, and has expanded its 240-hour visa-free transit policy to travelers from 55 countries.

From May 1 to 5, Beijing's ports of entry recorded 111,000 inbound and outbound trips by foreign nationals, up 20.5 percent year-on-year, according to official data.

Among them, more than 37,000 people entered China under visa-free policies or the 240-hour temporary entry permit arrangement, accounting for 74.7 percent of all foreign arrivals during the period, a year-on-year increase of 50.2 percent.

In response, the Beijing General Station of Immigration Inspection has introduced a series of measures to ensure efficient and orderly entry.

"To actively cope with the surge in inbound and outbound passenger flows during the May Day holiday, we've continued to optimize our service measures to ensure smooth and efficient clearance for all travelers," said Zhao Kun, captain of a patrol unit at the station.

"By monitoring passenger flows at ports of entry in real time and dynamically adjusting inspection channels in response to traffic volumes, we ensure staff resources are allocated in line with passenger demand," she said.

"During peak hours, inspection channels are opened in advance and operated at full capacity to reduce passenger wait times."

Fast-track inspection channels operate around the clock and provide on-site registration services, enabling eligible travelers to complete clearance more efficiently, she said.

"We are also fully implementing facilitation measures, such as the 24-hour visa-free transit policy and online entry card processing for foreign nationals, while optimizing the one-stop processing system for temporary entry permits and immigration clearance procedures to further improve efficiency for travelers," she added.

Providing help

The station has also strengthened passenger guidance and traffic management outside inspection counters, while promptly assisting elderly passengers, children and other travelers in need.

"Multilingual service teams have been fully mobilized to provide on-site policy consultation services for international travelers, further enhancing the overall clearance experience," Zhao said.

Phuc Huynh Thien, a visitor from Vietnam, said the convenient policies provided "a perfect start to my trip to Beijing".

"The airport's multilingual services also offered clear policy guidance, making the customs clearance process even smoother," he said.

Popova, a Russian tourist who only provided her surname, was visiting China for the first time with her child. She said police officers helped them throughout the process, from arrival to customs clearance.

"I didn't expect everything to go so smoothly, and my child is very happy," she said. "This experience of clearance has made me even more excited about the rest of our trip in China."

International flights to Beijing's airports continue to grow since the start of the summer-autumn schedule.

Beijing Capital International Airport has gradually increased flight frequencies on more than a dozen European routes, including Brussels, Istanbul and Dublin, while further enhancing connectivity across Asia.

Meanwhile, Beijing Daxing International Airport plans to operate routes to 44 international and regional destinations, aiming to better meet the diverse demands of travelers.

An Australian athlete said he was in the country to compete in a diving event.

"I've been to China before under the visa-free policy, and the entry process was very smooth," he said. "Policies like this can attract more international visitors to China."

He added that he was particularly interested in experiencing Chinese culture. "The culture here is quite different from Australia's, and that's something I really enjoy because I like experiencing new things," he said.