Foreign tourists visit Zhaoxing Dong Village of Liping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 2, 2026. China's inbound tourism booms thanks to visa exemption policies. (Photo by Liang Huibo/Xinhua)

Starting Thursday, citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam will be eligible for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy and Hainan’s 30-day visa-free entry policy, according to an announcement by the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on Thursday. 

Upon the new policy implementation, China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy will cover 57 countries, and Hainan’s 30-day visa-free policy covers 61 countries.

Under the new policy, citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam holding ordinary passports and confirmed connecting tickets with fixed dates and itineraries, who are transiting through China to a third country or region, may enter visa-free through 65 open ports, including Beijing and Shanghai, and stay for no more than 240 hours within designated areas. Citizens of the two countries holding ordinary passports may also enter through open ports in South China’s Hainan Province and stay visa-free within Hainan for no more than 30 days.

During stays under either policy, they may engage in short-term activities such as tourism, business, visits, and family reunions. Activities that require prior approval — including work, study, and news reporting — must still be covered by an appropriate visa obtained before travel to China.

Applying the two visa-free policies to citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam is a practical step to steadily advance China’s high-level opening-up and to help build a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. It will further enhance mutual trust and cooperation, and make tourism, trade, visits, and investment more convenient and efficient, a NIA official said.