China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) used a 10 July press briefing in Beijing to release its half-year operational statistics and unveil the next wave of facilitation measures designed to keep people and goods moving across China’s borders. According to NIA spokesperson Lin Yongsheng, inspection officers handled 369 million inbound and outbound movements between 1 January and 30 June 2026—an unprecedented 10.8 % year-on-year surge and the highest figure since comparable records began. Mainland residents generated 176 million trips, while Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents accounted for 147 million. Foreign nationals made 45.9 million trips—up 20.6 %—with visa-free arrivals topping 17.8 million, or 77.7 % of all foreign entries. Behind the headline numbers is a concerted policy drive to expand visa waivers and technology-enabled inspection. Since February, Canada and the United Kingdom have been added to China’s unilateral visa-free list, bringing the total of eligible countries to 50, while 65 ports now offer 240-hour transit-without-visa stays. On-line lodging registration for foreigners staying outside hotels, first piloted in seven provinces in March, will be progressively rolled out nationwide.
![China’s National Immigration Administration reports record-high 369 million border crossings in H1 2026]()
Travellers and mobility managers who want to stay ahead of these rapid changes can tap VisaHQ’s China hub, which consolidates the latest entry policies and offers end-to-end visa processing support. From verifying eligibility for the new visa-free regimes to securing express appointments for traditional visas, VisaHQ’s specialists help cut through red tape and keep itineraries on schedule.
The agency is also experimenting with “smart” clearance. Shenzhen’s land borders now feature facial- and iris-recognition lanes for private vehicles, and the rebuilt Huanggang checkpoint—due to open later this year—will debut a “co-operative inspection, single release” model and 134 one-stop e-channels capable of processing up to 300,000 passengers a day. For businesses, the numbers confirm that corporate travel to China has normalised and is accelerating. The 30.6 % jump in visa-free arrivals shows that simplified entry rules are being used in practice, reducing lead times and costs for meetings, installation work and after-sales support. With more ports digitising processes—such as the new electronic border-area permit launched in April—HR and mobility teams should review internal travel policies to ensure travellers exploit the newest channels and avoid outdated paperwork.
Travellers and mobility managers who want to stay ahead of these rapid changes can tap VisaHQ’s China hub, which consolidates the latest entry policies and offers end-to-end visa processing support. From verifying eligibility for the new visa-free regimes to securing express appointments for traditional visas, VisaHQ’s specialists help cut through red tape and keep itineraries on schedule.
The agency is also experimenting with “smart” clearance. Shenzhen’s land borders now feature facial- and iris-recognition lanes for private vehicles, and the rebuilt Huanggang checkpoint—due to open later this year—will debut a “co-operative inspection, single release” model and 134 one-stop e-channels capable of processing up to 300,000 passengers a day. For businesses, the numbers confirm that corporate travel to China has normalised and is accelerating. The 30.6 % jump in visa-free arrivals shows that simplified entry rules are being used in practice, reducing lead times and costs for meetings, installation work and after-sales support. With more ports digitising processes—such as the new electronic border-area permit launched in April—HR and mobility teams should review internal travel policies to ensure travellers exploit the newest channels and avoid outdated paperwork.
