As of October 25, 2023, over 1.972 million foreign nationals have entered Beijing, marking a remarkable increase of 144.1% compared to last year. Many have come to China for tourism or family visits. Additionally, nearly 595,000 foreigners have taken advantage of visa-free entry, and over 50,000 qualified foreign visitors have been granted a 144-hour transit visa exemption—these figures represent 8.4 times and 3.1 times increases from the same period last year, respectively.
On October 26, the Beijing Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection Station reported that the total number of people processed at the border this year has exceeded 15 million, reflecting a growth of approximately 104.9% year-over-year. Among them, about 3.813 million were foreign nationals, which is an increase of around 149.4%.
In October alone, the average number of daily arrivals and departures at Beijing’s ports has reached about 52,000. Notably, on October 20, the port witnessed a record single-day influx of foreign visitors, with 62,000 people traveling in and out, including 12,900 foreign nationals.
The Frontier Inspection Station has announced that following the implementation of a unilateral visa exemption for ordinary passport holders from Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, and Slovenia on October 15, the scope of China’s visa-free access continues to expand, further optimizing travel convenience. The “China Travel” trend remains strong.
Looking ahead, on October 27, the Beijing port will welcome the winter-spring flight season, adding several new international routes, including those to Russia, Sydney, Melbourne, and Singapore.
To ensure a smooth passage, the Beijing Frontier Inspection Station plans to increase the number of inspection channels and waiting areas in high-traffic locations. They will implement a “dual-channel inspection” model to enhance efficiency, along with special lanes for Chinese citizens, foreigners, and expedited processing. These measures aim to facilitate the movement of travelers entering and exiting the country.
