Visa-free entry makes up 77.5% of China's Q3 foreign trips, aiding Macau travellers

Foreign visits to China rose sharply in the third quarter of 2026, with 11.6 million trips made to the country by foreign nationals — an increase of 15.6% from a year earlier — according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA). Visa-free arrivals reached 8.99 million, making up 77.5% of all foreign arrivals.

NIA spokeswoman Lyu Ning presented the figures at a news conference on Oct 20, saying measures aimed at easing exchanges between Chinese and foreign nationals had pushed cross-border travel to successive record highs.

Key facts

• Period covered: July to September 2026
• Foreign trips to China: 11.6 million, up 15.6% year-on-year
• Visa-free arrivals: 8.99 million, or 77.5% of all foreign arrivals
• All cross-border trips handled: 192 million, up 7.9% year-on-year
• New exit-entry rules: State Council regulations took effect on Sept 15

What do the latest arrival figures show?

Immigration authorities handled 192 million cross-border trips from July to September, up 7.9% year-on-year. Of that total, 95.96 million were made by mainland residents (up 7.4%), 73.14 million by residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (up 6.4%), and 23.27 million by foreign nationals (up 15.6%).

Visa-free arrivals accounted for 77.5% of all foreign arrivals, a rise of 24.1 percentage points from a year earlier. The top 10 countries of origin for foreign arrivals were Russia, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, Mongolia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

Which documents did the authorities issue?

During the quarter, immigration authorities issued 5.34 million ordinary passports and processed 28.79 million applications for travel permits and endorsements for mainland residents travelling to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. They also issued 473,000 mainland travel permits for residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, along with 603,000 visas and other entry documents for foreign nationals.

What about travel out of mainland China?

Mainland residents made 48.5 million outbound trips in the third quarter, up 7.5% year-on-year. Their top 10 destinations were the Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and Indonesia, according to the NIA.

What changed for exit-entry services and enforcement?

Following the implementation of the State Council's new regulations on exit and entry administration on Sept 15, immigration authorities began registering agencies and individuals that provide exit-entry intermediary services. As of Oct 19, more than 1,200 agencies and nearly 6,000 individuals had completed registration, Lyu said.

She also said authorities maintained strong enforcement against crimes undermining border management. Nationwide, they investigated 4,432 such cases and apprehended more than 12,000 suspects during the quarter, and seized 1,880kg of drugs and 402 firearms in crackdowns on firearms and explosives offences, drug trafficking and smuggling at ports and along borders.

What this means for travellers

The figures show that the bulk of foreign arrivals to China in the third quarter entered without a visa, so travellers planning a trip should check whether their nationality is covered by the visa-free arrangements before applying for a document. Those using exit-entry intermediary services should note that providers are now required to register under the new regulations.

No further announcements or rule changes were flagged by the NIA in its Oct 20 briefing.