China Visa-Free Entries Hit 436,000 During May Day Holiday 2026
China Visa-Free Entries Hit 436,000 During May Day Holiday 2026
China's visa-free policies continued to drive a surge in inbound tourism during the 2026 May Day holiday, with 436,000 foreign nationals entering the country through visa-free channels — a 14.7% increase from the same period last year, according to data released by the National Immigration Administration on May 6.
Record-Breaking Cross-Border Travel
The five-day holiday from May 1 to May 5 saw nearly 11.3 million cross-border trips, averaging approximately 2.26 million per day, up 3.5% year-on-year. The peak came on May 2, when daily crossings approached 2.4 million — a near-record for the holiday period.
Foreign nationals made 1.26 million trips to and from China during the holiday, a 12.5% increase compared to 2025. The surge underscores how visa facilitation policies have transformed China from a visa-hurdle destination into one of the most accessible major economies for international travelers.
Q1 2026: Visa-Free Dominates Inbound Travel
The May Day data builds on an already impressive first quarter. According to the National Immigration Administration, foreign nationals made 21.33 million entries and exits in Q1 2026, a 22.3% year-on-year increase. Among those entering China, 8.315 million used visa-free channels, up 29.3% from 2025. Visa-free entries now account for 77.9% of all inbound foreign arrivals — a clear sign that China's unilateral visa exemption program has become the dominant pathway for international visitors.
| Metric | Q1 2026 | YoY Change |
| Foreign entries & exits | 21.33 million | +22.3% |
| Visa-free entries | 8.315 million | +29.3% |
| Visa-free share of entries | 77.9% | — |
50 Countries Now Covered
China has steadily expanded its unilateral visa-free policy, which now covers 50 countries as of May 2026. The program allows citizens of eligible nations to stay for up to 30 days per entry for business, tourism, family visits, or transit purposes. Key additions in the past year include several European and Latin American nations.
Additionally, the 144-hour transit visa exemption is available at more than 20 ports across China, enabling travelers from 54 countries to explore major hubs like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou without a full visa.
Policy Meets Service: The Next Phase
While visa access has solved the "how to come" problem, China is now focused on the "how to stay longer and spend more" question. In March 2026, eight government agencies jointly issued new policy measures to promote travel service exports and expand inbound consumption, including:
- "Buy-and-refund" cross-provincial tax refund — Since April 2026, Guangdong and Fujian have implemented mutual recognition of instant tax refunds, freeing travelers from location-based restrictions
- Over 8,000 tax-refund stores nationwide now offer "即买即退" (buy-and-refund) services
- During the May Day holiday's first four days, Guangdong's tax-refund sales surged 152.8% year-on-year, while Fujian saw a 431.58% increase in refund transactions
| Tax Refund Metric | Holiday Period | YoY Change |
| Guangdong refund sales | — | +152.8% |
| Fujian refund transactions | — | +431.58% |
| National refund stores | 8,000+ | — |
What This Means for Travelers
For international visitors, the combination of visa-free access, streamlined tax refunds, and improving service infrastructure means China is easier to visit than at any point in recent history. The data confirms it: the country received 82.04 million foreign visitors in 2025 alone — 2.6 times the 2019 figure — and 2026 is tracking even higher.
Song Rui, Director of the Tourism Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that China's inbound tourism is transitioning from a "volume expansion" phase driven by visa waivers to a "quality improvement" phase focused on refining the visitor experience — with more targeted policies and finer-grained services.
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