China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) revealed on 15 July that mainland border posts processed 369 million entry-exit movements in the first half of 2026, a 10.8 % year-on-year rise and the highest on record. 45.9 million of those crossings were made by foreign nationals, up 20.6 %, signalling the strongest post-pandemic rebound yet for inbound business and leisure travel. A standout figure is the surge in visa-free arrivals: more than 17.8 million foreigners entered China without a visa between January and June, a 30.6 % leap that now accounts for almost 78 % of all foreign entries. The top source markets were South Korea, Russia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Japan, Mongolia and Australia. Officials credit Beijing’s expanding unilateral 30-day visa-waiver programme—now covering 50 countries—and regional exemptions in Hainan, the Greater Bay Area and cruise ports. For corporate mobility teams the data confirm that simplified entry rules are converting directly into travel demand. Companies sending staff to China can increasingly rely on short-notice, visa-free trips to tier-1 and emerging tier-2 business hubs, cutting lead times and processing costs. The sharp uptick in crossings by Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents (147 million, +8.1 %) also points to a near-full restoration of intra-Greater China mobility, a boon for cross-border project work and supply-chain inspections. NIA added that 20.8 million conveyances (aircraft, trains, ships and vehicles) were inspected in the half-year (+17.1 %), underlining the strain on port infrastructure. Foreign companies should remind travellers that, despite faster e-gates and greater visa-free eligibility, peak-season queues are back—especially at busy hubs like Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong and Shenzhen Bay. Looking ahead, immigration officials signalled further digitalisation of arrival-card procedures and additional ‘smart channel’ fast-lanes for APEC Business Travel Card holders before the October trade-fair season. Mobility managers should monitor whether quota-free visa-waiver stays might be extended beyond 30 days for high-value investors later this year.
Source: China Daily
