Policy & RegulationAnalysis
China Adds Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam to Transit and Hainan Visa-Free Lists
The expansion brings the 240-hour transit visa-free scheme to 57 countries and Hainan's 30-day entry policy to 61.
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The Brief
China has expanded its visa-free entry policies to include citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, according to an announcement from the National Immigration Administration reported by state media. Effective August 20, 2026, passport holders from both neighboring nations are eligible for China's 240-hour transit visa exemption and Hainan province's 30-day visa-free entry policy. The move raises the total number of countries covered by the 240-hour transit program to 57 and the Hainan scheme to 61, advancing Beijing's broader drive to facilitate cross-border travel and regional economic integration.
Why it matters
Adding Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam extends China's most flexible short-stay entry channels to key Central Asian and Southeast Asian neighbors. The adjustment is poised to streamline cross-border commercial itineraries, boost international passenger volumes across major Chinese transit hubs, and support tourism and business activity in the Hainan Free Trade Port.
China context
Faced with economic imperatives to attract foreign capital, expand service trade, and revitalize inbound travel, Chinese authorities have progressively calibrated their immigration toolkit. Rather than relying solely on bilateral reciprocal agreements, Beijing has increasingly utilized regional and transit exemptions—such as the multi-day transit waiver and Hainan-specific access—to lower entry hurdles without requiring comprehensive visa negotiations.
Editor's View
EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting.
The simultaneous extension of both transit and Hainan-specific privileges to Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam highlights Beijing's tactical use of border policy to deepen ties along its immediate periphery. Vietnam is a vital manufacturing partner and ASEAN neighbor, while Kyrgyzstan serves as a primary logistical corridor in Central Asia. Granting their citizens 10-day transit access and 30-day access to Hainan effectively turns Chinese transport hubs and southern economic zones into more accessible gateways for regional business travel.
What to watch
- Inbound traveler and transit flow data from Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam through Chinese border inspection points over the coming quarters.
- Whether the National Immigration Administration extends similar transit or Hainan exemptions to additional Central Asian or ASEAN partner states.
- Aviation adjustments, including potential additions or resumptions of direct flights between regional capitals and Chinese hubs.
Key Takeaways
- 1Starting August 20, 2026, citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam can utilize China's 240-hour transit visa-free policy.
- 2Citizens of both countries are also granted access to Hainan's 30-day visa-free entry regime.
- 3The policy adjustments increase the 240-hour transit policy cohort to 57 nations and the Hainan scheme to 61 nations.
China has expanded two of its primary short-stay visa exemption programs to encompass citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, according to an announcement by the National Immigration Administration reported by state news agency Xinhua.
Under the policy update, which took effect on August 20, 2026, citizens of both neighboring countries can enter China using the 240-hour transit visa exemption as well as the 30-day visa-free entry scheme designated for Hainan province.
With the inclusion of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, the number of countries eligible for China's 240-hour transit visa exemption has reached 57. Simultaneously, the roster of nations permitted 30-day visa-free entry into Hainan has expanded to 61 countries.
The 240-hour transit policy allows qualifying foreign travelers holding confirmed connecting tickets to a third country or region to stay in specified Chinese cities and surrounding administrative regions for up to ten days without obtaining a visa in advance. The policy is designed to encourage international air travelers to transit through Chinese hub airports while accommodating brief commercial visits and leisure travel.
Meanwhile, the 30-day Hainan visa-free entry framework represents a core institutional mechanism supporting the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Under this regional policy, international visitors can travel directly to the island province for business, tourism, family visits, or medical purposes without conventional visa requirements, provided they enter through open ports and abide by localized stay parameters.
Extending these two access routes to Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam broadens China's regional border facilitation along key neighboring frontiers. Kyrgyzstan represents an important Central Asian conduit along overland trade corridors, while Vietnam stands as one of China's most significant trading partners within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Lowering administrative entry hurdles for their nationals aligns with broader state efforts to deepen trade networks and stimulate inbound travel across targeted economic zones.
Sources
- 图表：中国240小时过境免签“朋友圈”扩展至57国 — State Council of China · 8/21/2026