China’s borders are busier than at any time in history. At a Beijing press briefing on July 13, National Immigration Administration spokesman Lin Yongsheng announced that officers handled 369 million inbound and outbound movements between January and June—up 10.8 percent year-on-year and surpassing the pre-pandemic peak set in 2019. The figures underline how quickly business travel has normalised since China abolished almost all COVID-era controls in early 2025. Mainland residents still accounted for the largest share (176 million trips), but entries by Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents also climbed 8 percent, reflecting renewed cross-border commerce in the Greater Bay Area. Crucially for global mobility planners, foreign arrivals jumped 20.6 percent to 45.9 million, of which 17.81 million (77.7 percent) entered visa-free—a 30.6 percent surge. South Korea, Russia and Malaysia topped the list of source markets, followed closely by Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the United States and Japan. Analysts attribute the spike to China’s rolling programme of unilateral and reciprocal visa-waiver agreements, greater long-haul flight capacity and the resumption of international trade fairs from Canton Fair in Guangzhou to the soon-to-open Shanghai World AI Conference.
At this juncture, corporate travel managers who need rapid clarity on whether a particular traveler still requires a visa—or must apply for a business or work permit—can tap VisaHQ’s online platform for instant eligibility checks, step-by-step documentation lists and door-to-door courier support. The service’s China section is updated daily with the latest waiver announcements and local registration rules, helping companies avoid last-minute surprises while keeping compliance airtight.
For multinational companies, the numbers confirm that China’s physical connectivity is almost fully restored. HR and mobility teams should expect higher demand for short-term business visas, intra-company transfers and supplier visits in the second half, and should ensure internal travel approval systems can accommodate faster-moving itineraries made possible by visa-free entry. The data also reinforce the importance of meticulous compliance: while entry is simpler, China’s 24-hour hotel registration rule and stringent work-authorization checks remain in place. Immigration experts predict the visa-free share of arrivals will exceed 80 percent by year-end if Beijing finalises planned waivers with additional European and Latin American countries, potentially reducing lead-times for project deployments even further.
At this juncture, corporate travel managers who need rapid clarity on whether a particular traveler still requires a visa—or must apply for a business or work permit—can tap VisaHQ’s online platform for instant eligibility checks, step-by-step documentation lists and door-to-door courier support. The service’s China section is updated daily with the latest waiver announcements and local registration rules, helping companies avoid last-minute surprises while keeping compliance airtight.
For multinational companies, the numbers confirm that China’s physical connectivity is almost fully restored. HR and mobility teams should expect higher demand for short-term business visas, intra-company transfers and supplier visits in the second half, and should ensure internal travel approval systems can accommodate faster-moving itineraries made possible by visa-free entry. The data also reinforce the importance of meticulous compliance: while entry is simpler, China’s 24-hour hotel registration rule and stringent work-authorization checks remain in place. Immigration experts predict the visa-free share of arrivals will exceed 80 percent by year-end if Beijing finalises planned waivers with additional European and Latin American countries, potentially reducing lead-times for project deployments even further.
